IT'S Hampshire's zaniest parade.

Hundreds of people will line the streets of Southampton today as a stampede of brightly coloured zebras rush through the city centre.

The event comes ahead of Marwell's Zany Zebras trail, backed by the Daily Echo.

The 10-week trail will see families don their binoculars and special guidebooks to see how many of the 150 fibreglass zebra sculptures they can spot grazing throughout Southampton from Saturday.

Another herd of 47 miniature sculptures will also be on display around the zoo alongside a huge five-metre tall wooden zebra, named Gulliver, created by Cornwall artist Dave Danson Hill.

The trail aims to raise awareness of the endangered Grevy's zebra, also known as the imperial zebra, and after the event the sculptures will be auctioned to raise cash for Marwell's conservation work and to support communities living alongside less than 3,000 remaining wild zebra in the arid rangelands of northern Kenya.

It comes after the success of the Go! Rhinos trail which invaded the city in 2013, raising £125,000 to support endangered animals.

The 31 sculptures will be showcased from 1pm as they travel from South Front, near Hoglands Park, through Poundtree Road towards Guildhall Square and back down Above Bar Street towards Poundtree Road before heading through Queen's Way and Bernard Street before going along the High Street through Castle Way and Bargate Street and back to Poundtree Road.

The route will then be repeated, finishing the final lap at about 2pm.

Special guidebooks will be on sale at Marwell's trail hub inside the Marlands Shopping Centre throughout the 10 weeks.

There will also be a series of family workshops and activities at the hub during the summer.

Marwell's Zany Zebras project manager Kirstie Mathieson said: "We're really excited Marwell's Zany Zebras is nearly ready to hit the streets in parts of Southampton.

"The anticipation and excitement for the trail is unbelievable, the public just can't wait to see all of these fantastic sculptures that have been created over the last few months."

For more information visit zanyzebras.org.uk