CITIES across Britain have been doing it for years - at the weekend it was Southampton's turn to host its very own Asian mela.

Thousands of people turned out to sample the sights, sounds and tastes of the east at the city's very first Asian festival, or 'mela'.

From traditional Asian dressing, dancing and eating to Bollywood music and Asian enterprise, Southampton's Hoglands Park became a cultural melting pot where people could experience Asian culture.

For nine hours various artists including Bhangra outfit RDB and Strings, one of the UK's leading Bollywood music groups who perform in Gujarati, Hindi Punjab and Urdu, entertained crowds of up to 8,000 people who were able to buy traditional Asian clothing and foods, including Punja sweets.

Southampton mayor Parvin Damani help proceedings get under way before spending the afternoon enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.

"I think it's wonderful," she said.

"This is long overdue and it's great for the city. The timing is now right to have an event like this."

On show were many Asian enterprise companies who were keen to promote themselves to a wider audience.

Fashionable clothing brand Puredesi, meaning "100 per cent Asian" had travelled down from Coventry for the day to promote their latest line of clothing while Asian photographic wedding company Kee Photographics had travelled down especially from London.

Southampton-based massage company Heart to Heart were generating a lot of interest.

Hitesh Master, 41, from Padwell Road, Bevois Valley, runs the company with his wife Archana specialising in Indian head and body massage for women and babies.

Mr Master said: "This type of event has got to be the way forward. This is a city that is going places and it's the place to be with all the investment that has been put into it, just look at all the new hotels they are going to build."

Children delighted audiences as they performed traditional dance displays led by professional Indian dancer Vidya Thirunarayan.

Vidya, 32, who teaches classical Indian dance at Art Asia in Radcliffe Road, Southampton, is part of the touring dance group called Sankalpam, which "combines respect for tradition with a desire to venture beyond current convention for Indian classical dance".

She said: "We have had a lot of interest. An event like this is fantastic and a real celebration of multicultural Britain."

Organised by Southampton's Art Asia, which has been promoting Asian culture in the city for the past 20 years, the event was the culmination of 10 months of planning.

Art Asia director Raj Chadda was very pleased with the turnout.

"I think this can be a success every year providing we get the funding," he said.

"This year we were supported by Southampton City Council but we are looking for any companies to get involved and support us next year."

Enjoying the summer sunshine was Southampton Itchen MP John Denham.

"It's something Southampton has needed for quite some time," he said.

"It is the type of event that can now grow year on year.

"It brings people together and if they can do this first time round then I'm sure we'll have it bigger and better next year."

Mela co-ordinator Paul McKenna, 55, added: "It's not just the Asian community, it's an event for everybody.

"It finally puts Southampton on the map within the Asian community," he added.