ORGANISERS worked around the clock yesterday to make last minute preparations for Winchester's Festival of Flowers which starts today.

Thousands of people are expected to flock to the massive five-day event, which was last staged a decade ago.

The festival is entitled Magnum Opus - In Celebration of Music as all the displays are inspired by a diverse range of composers and it is hoped it will raise £100,000 for the Cathedral's Music Foundation.

It was all hands on deck yesterday as 200 flower arrangers and teams of structure builders worked from 7am into the night to make sure everything was in place for today's launch.

"We don't do this sort of thing very often but when we do it's a terrific burst of energy and effort from everyone concerned," said Mary Hunt, of the Friends of Winchester Cathedral.

Military precision was applied to the logistics of getting gigantic wooden and metal frames, countless flowers and hundreds of people into the cathedral to begin work on the 44 giant exhibits sited throughout the building.

The nave of the cathedral has been cleared of furniture and swathed in a co-ordinated sea of colour flowing from purple at the west end through to scarlet at the altar.

Centre-stage has been given to a spectacular series of gigantic 'floating' boxes, soaring decorative railings and 16 specially made banners.

Wendy Howden, chief designer, said: "I have worked on events at places such as Westminster Abbey before but this is the first fully contemporary one. I think it is unique and all the work here is fantastic. They really are pulling out all the stops."

Thousands of people have already booked tickets for the event, which runs until this Sunday.

For further information call the Festival hotline on 01962 857247.