YOUNGSTERS at Hillside Primary School, Blaenavon, are gearing up to play a central role in this year’s World Heritage Weekend celebrations.

They made costumes yesterday for the carnival, which is linked to the closure of their school and moving to the new £13 million Blaenavon Heritage VC Primary.

The theme of this year’s carnival parade is Blaenavon Education Past and Present, with youngsters from Hillside and St Peter’s primaries as well as Hillside Nursery celebrating the changing appearance of schoolchildren through the years.

Blaenavon Heritage VC Primary is due to be completed next year, with the role of its predecessors being marked in this year’s celebrations. Youngsters will dress up as schoolchildren from different periods.

The heritage costume parade will form the central part of the World Heritage Weekend celebrations, leaving from Broad Street at 1.30pm on Saturday, with youngsters joined by dancers, brass bands and samba drummers.

For information on the World Heritage Weekend, call 01495 742333.