FAMILIES are preparing for a city safari as a stampede rushes through Southampton.

Hundreds of people are expected to line the streets in a bid to catch a glimpse of a herd of colourful zebras from Marwell Zoo.

The 31 zebra sculptures will be taking part in a parade through the city centre from 1-2pm on Tuesday past Southampton’s top landmarks including the Bargate and the new Studio 144 arts complex.

It comes ahead of the launch of Marwell’s Zany Zebra trail, backed by the Daily Echo.

Families will be challenged to see how many of the 47 brightly painted zebras they can spot hiding throughout the city centre during the 10-week trail which starts next Saturday.

Another herd of 103 miniature sculptures will also be on display around the zoo.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: A map of the route

Schoolchildren, youth groups and artists from across the south have spent months designing and decorating the sculptures.

The trail aims to raise awareness of the endangered Grevy’s zebra, also known as the imperial zebra, and after the event the zany coloured 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.

Now people are being challenged to find as many zebra sculptures as they can using guidebooks and maps available at the zoo’s special trail hub near the information desk inside Marlands Shopping Centre.

There will also be a host of children’s activities and workshops throughout the summer until the zany zebra trail comes to an end on September 25.

For more information visit zanyzebras.org.uk.