Clowns brought colour and comedy to the streets of Bognor Regis for many years

The town had never seen anything like it before Bingo and his friends first bounced in for a big parade in April 1985. There were laughs galore as scores of professional clowns marched through the streets in a spectacular procession.

They infected the crowds with good humour and provided a riot of colour in a spectacle dazzling enough to rival any street carnival in the world – a sight that was to return for years to come.

Clowns' International, the main organiser, was the oldest-established clown organisation in the world, founded in London in 1945.

The aim of the convention was for clowns from around the world to invade the town, and invite everyone to join in their festivities. There were shows, street comedy, a procession, a gala in the big top and a church service to round off the weekend.

You would see clowns in shops, in hospitals, in churches, in schools and in the High Street. There were clowns 'fishing' at drains in the street and others providing spontaneous shows wherever there was a group of people.

The final convention, the 10th, was held in 1994 – unable to continue due to Arun District Council withdrawing financial support. But even then, it wasn't the end, with millennium calls for its return and the first International Clown Festival being held at Butlin's in 2005.

One of the biggest festivals to go down in clown history was held in March 2008, with a turnout of 110 funny men and women bringing laughter to the seafront and town centre against a background of hooters and whistles.

Mardi Gras Joymakers Jazz Band led the way and tricks like unicycling and juggling made the procession special for the crowd of around 5,000 people.

An incredible 84-and-a-half years separated the youngest and the oldest clowns in Bognor Regis that weekend.

The fun continued annually for a while, though there was a three-year hiatus before the 2016 event and then 2017 proved to be the swansong.

Hopes of returning in 2018 were dashed at the last minute, as the planned dates clashed with Bognorphenia and Arun District Council refused permission for the clowns to perform in any public places.