Carnival made a welcome return to Weston and the Leaning Tower of Pisa got a rare mention in the Weston Mercury and Somerset Herald 50 years ago this week.

%image(14254456, type="article-full", alt="The Mayor (Cllr. David Driver) with members of the 1st Worle Guides company and the Vicar, the Rev. P.B. Curtis, at St. Martin's Church Autumn Fair. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

The subject of parking charges dominates the Mercury letters pages in 2019, and the situation was pretty much the same back in 1969.

The often sore subject was brought up at a meeting of Weston Borough Council, where calls for a raise in fees was made.

Car parking charges in Weston had been frozen since the 1960s, but councillors said they needed to be upped, with the salaries of attendants having gone up by a third in that time.

Previously free car parks would see their fees rise to 1s on a weekday in the summer, and 2s on a Sunday.

%image(14254457, type="article-full", alt="The Mayor of Weston's Christmas Fund will benefit by about £50 donated by bowlers and guests of the Dolphin Bowl when the Mayor, Cllr. David Driver attended a charity challenge match. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

Other car parks faced all-day charges of 3-4s.

%image(14254458, type="article-full", alt="Over £360 was raised at the annual bazaar of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Church Held at Winscombe Parish Hall. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

* Weston Carnival returned to the town's streets for the winter showpiece after a 32-year hiatus.

Illuminated carts shone and thousands of people enjoyed the show.

%image(14254459, type="article-full", alt="Part of the audience at Winterstoke Secondary Girls school annual prizegiving. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

The event was held on the Monday night - a slot it used to keep until becoming a Friday night carnival in recent years.

The Mercury described its return as 'dazzling', saying the themes included Christmas, 'dinky donkeys' and a 'weird Christmas bus'.

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the night though was it remained dry.

%image(14254460, type="article-full", alt="Competitors in Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

* Teachers were planning a walkout after the failure to resolve a row over pay.

%image(14254461, type="article-full", alt="Competitors in Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

More than 200 were expected to take part in a half-day strike the following week, in a move which threatened the closure of several schools.

The teachers had been offered a £50 a year increase on their salaries - considerably lower than the £135 they wanted.

%image(14254462, type="article-full", alt="Competitors in Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

* And North Somerset's version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was in the news too.

Puxton Church's congregation had been busy fundraising to pay for works to the building. About £1,300 had been raised when it turned to Axbridge Rural district Council for additional financial support.

Councillors agreed to contribute £100 more to the project, recognising the efforts the community had gone to in collecting the money they had already.

%image(14254463, type="article-full", alt="The "Hornets' transplant team" in action at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254464, type="article-full", alt=""Miss World" by Birnbeck Scout Group at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254465, type="article-full", alt=""Bargins Galore" entered by B.Bennett, of Weston's covered market at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254466, type="article-full", alt=""The Lions share of understanding, " presented by Weston's Lions Ladies at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254467, type="article-full", alt="In red and white, the majorettes of Bournville Merry Wifes' Club won first prize for a local feature at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254468, type="article-full", alt="Michael Ganfield in his pedal car at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254469, type="article-full", alt="The Carnival Queen, 16-year-old Rachel Sanders, of Lympsham, with her attendants, June Trapnell and Lorraine Vincent at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254470, type="article-full", alt="Collectors from La Retraite School at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")

%image(14254471, type="article-full", alt="A "Christmas Scene, " was a winning local tableau by B. Trapnell and Sons at Weston's Winter Carnival. Picture: WESTON MERCURY")