Violence taints Brazil's carnivals

Rio De Janeiro

TENS of thousands of people flooded Rio's streets on Sunday to watch samba dancers in dazzling costumes defy downpours and bare sparkly flesh in a fantasy Brazilians dream of year round.

An estimated crowd of more than 72,000, from great-grandmothers to babes in arms, swayed and cheered on their favourite samba school in hours-long parades in Rio's annual party to end all parties.