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Liverpool Giants: Huge crowds turn out in city centre and Wirral | Liverpool Giants: Huge crowds turn out in city centre and Wirral |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Thousands of spectators are lining Liverpool's streets as huge puppets stride through the city in a street theatre festival. | |
Known as The Giants, the over-sized marionettes have returned for a third and final time. | |
Previous visits in 2012 and 2014 attracted six-figure audiences and led to millions of pounds spent locally. | |
One spectator Lewis, 10, who was watching at St George's Plateau, said: "It was epic! Mind blown!" | |
Two of the puppets - Little Boy Giant and his dog Xolo - "woke up" before setting off for a stroll through the city centre on Friday morning, watched by thousands of people. | |
After an afternoon nap in Princes Park in Toxteth, they will return to the city centre for further events this evening and until Sunday. | |
Another puppet appeared on the other side of the River Mersey in Wirral. | |
On Thursday, hundreds queued to see Little Boy Giant "sleeping" in a hammock at St George's Hall. | |
At the scene - Rumeana Jahangir, BBC News | |
There's something about the Giants that brings out the child in you, whatever your age. | There's something about the Giants that brings out the child in you, whatever your age. |
When the live music struck up to signal that Little Boy Giant was about to wake up, gasps and cheers rippled through the hundreds lined up outside St George's Hall. | |
Magical, mesmerising and epic were words used as the city welcomed back the much-loved marionettes for the final time. | Magical, mesmerising and epic were words used as the city welcomed back the much-loved marionettes for the final time. |
While the Giants rest at Princes Park this afternoon, there are a lot of smiles spread over the faces of those who saw them stroll past this morning. | |
One of the Little Boy Giant's sandals was used as a goalpost during a football coaching session for schoolchildren at Princes Park, in an event involving Merseyside clubs Liverpool, Everton and Tranmere Rovers. | |
A huge butter knife that appears to have split a bus in two outside Lime Street Station and a large fork in a car roof outside St Luke's Church wowed many passer-bys. | |
Meanwhile, a giant raft appeared at Canning Dock on Liverpool's waterfront. | |
The spectacle has been arranged by French street theatre company Royal de Luxe. | |
Angela Samara and Helen Bishton, who were collecting for mental health organisation Chasing the Stigma - one of the event's two official charities - were thrilled. | |
"We thought it was absolutely mesmerising," said Ms Samara. | |
"It was a magical moment when Xolo went and met the boy. You forget instantly that they're puppets and it's an absolute privilege to watch." | "It was a magical moment when Xolo went and met the boy. You forget instantly that they're puppets and it's an absolute privilege to watch." |
On the beach | On the beach |
Sean Styles, BBC Radio Merseyside | Sean Styles, BBC Radio Merseyside |
Thousands of people gathered on New Brighton Beach after a sleeping Giant appeared overnight. | Thousands of people gathered on New Brighton Beach after a sleeping Giant appeared overnight. |
As the sun came up, the Giant awoke and was raised up in the shadow of the turrets at Fort Perch Rock. | |
While a brass band played, the crowd was transfixed as the huge figure was lifted from the sands. | |
Children watched on with open mouths at this incredible sight on the Wirral coastline. | Children watched on with open mouths at this incredible sight on the Wirral coastline. |