JAWS dropped, eyes rolled and camera phones snapped when an animal cruelty charity revealed details of its annual campaign in Southampton city centre.

Dressed in nothing more than white bikini bottoms and bull horns while clutching a promotional poster to retain their modesty, members of PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, were in the city to promote the Running of the Nudes.

Set two days ahead of the controversial Running of the Bulls spectacle in Pamplona in Spain, the event sees more than 1,000 campaigners sprint down the same cobblestone route of the bulls in protest at how the animals are treated.

Using a scaled-down approach in the streets of Southampton, the three semi-naked women were accompanied by a costume bull to hand out leaflets in the hope of recruiting members of the public to join them for the stunt.

However, the surprising display in Above Bar Street, didn't prove popular with everyone in the city and a complaint to the police ended the recruitment drive ten minutes early.

Lauren Bowey from PETA said: "We're in Southampton to ask Brits to join the Running of the Nudes to help draw attention to the fact that bullfights must end.

"We've had an amazing response in the city and I think we have been quite successful with lots of people taking an interest and we are hoping that as many of them as possible will sign up for the event and join us on July 5."

Last year, nearly 1,000 runners took part in PETA's "humane alternative to the Running of the Bulls".