Queen for a day? May-be not!

Organisers had discovered that “pretty” Jane Pearce from Old Warden, who had previously said she was overjoyed at being selected, would still only be 11 on May Day itself. The rules state that entrants must be a minimum of 12 years old at the time of the festival.

Described as “devastated”, her parents Alan and Angela condemned jealous mums for lodging a complaint and expressed fears for their daughter’s wellbeing as she had recently been ill.

May Day committee chairman Morris Bygraves said: “We assumed that she was old enough”, adding that there was no reason to relax the rules if there was another suitable candidate and that the final decision would rest with the committee.

Tonya Sharpe was subsequently crowned 1988 May Queen at the popular annual event.