IT'S all smiles for Samantha Rice who will be queen for a day in this year's Cwmbran Carnival.

Samantha, of St Dials, will be crowned on Saturday, June 17. The 24-year-old travel agent is looking forward to her second day in the role having been the 2000 carnival when she was 18.

"I love buying new outfits and I'm really looking forward to the fitting of the queen's dress," said Ms Rice, whose sister Rachel was second runner-up of Miss Wales in 2003.

The queen's courtiers this year will be six-year-old Francesca Griffiths-Breeze, from Thornhill, and Ashley Jayne, four, from Croesyceiliog, as rosebud and pageboy respectively.

The flower-girl will be Shannon Watkins, nine, and court attendant Rebecca Clayton, 14, both from Pontnewydd.

Valerie Hiscocks, carnival organiser, said the judges had chosen a "great bunch of young people".