8:25am Monday 31st December 2007
By Laura Kitching
REVELLERS have been trawling fancy dress shops across Weymouth in search of the perfect outfit for tonight's celebrations.
Pirates of the Caribbean, cavemen, superheroes, chickens and Scooby Doo costumes have all been selling thick and fast to queues of shoppers.
The town's famous fancy dress revelry has attracted partygoers from across the country and abroad.
Christina Muehlenhoff, 25, has travelled to the borough from Germany to see in the start of 2008 dressed as a chicken with her boyfriend Roman Hynch.
She said: "We'll be doing the chicken dance. I've come because it's so unique in Weymouth. It's a good laugh and what I like most is that everybody is in costume.
"Everybody's cheerful and looking forward to the new year."
Weymouth Rowing Club member Steven Barsky, 51, will be celebrating his 24th New Year's Eve in the town along with his Peter Pan-themed team-mates.
He said: "I'm the baddie, Captain Hook.
"Weymouth is the biggest party in England. They do one in Rio de Janeiro but that's not in Weymouth so people should come down here.
"Other towns have followed what we do, Dorchester I believe do it now but not like Weymouth and I don't think Swanage actually matches us."
Staff at The Party Shop in Abbotsbury Road said top-selling costumes included Pirates of the Caribbean, superheroes, and quirkier ones like Scooby Doo.
Owner Jan O'Brien said: "If anyone's not been to Weymouth they don't know what they're missing. Everybody dresses up, if you don't you'll be taken the Mickey out of.
"It's a very busy time for us. We gear up three months before the night. It's the biggest night of the year and Weymouth is renowned for it."
Owner of Christopher Robin fancy dress shop on the Esplanade, Louise Harris, said they had a job to keep up with the demand.
She said: "It's been mainly cavemen, pirates, cowboys and Indians, that could be the theme but we never know.
"At the moment we're doing even better than last year.
"I think Weymouth's going to be absolutely packed to the rafters at new year this year. It's going to be better than ever."
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