A giant bottle of ketchup made from cardboard will form the centrepiece of an oversized recreation of a full English breakfast.

These youngsters paid painstaking attention to detail to create their costumes and models for their float for this year's children's parade, which kicks off the 40th Brighton Festival.

Children at Downs View School, Warren Road, Brighton, were helped by ten staff from Southdown Housing Association, who wanted to give something back to the community as part of their team-building day.

Both the school and the Lewes-based housing association cater solely for people with learning disabilities.

Hilary Muston, art co-ordinator at the school, said: "It went very well. The children really enjoyed it, especially as they like meeting new people.

"The parade will be great fun and all the parents come along, making it a family day out."

The centrepiece will be worn by one of the adults.

Children were also busy making their own costumes, including teacup and baked bean tin hats, giant knives and forks, plates and fried egg masks.

Manager Liam O'Rourke, said he and his colleagues were proud to help out.

He said: "It was a lot of fun. Our usual team days are pretty predictable but this was just that little bit different. We wanted to do a community project rather than go ice skating. It was very rewarding."

Meanwhile pupils at Peacehaven Infant School in Edith Avenue, Peacehaven, were making their own props for the children's parade.

Older students from Peacehaven Community College helped the children make large red and gold Chinese lanterns.

Everyone got stuck-in glueing pieces of coloured paper together and painting faces on to the finished lanterns.

These children will join more than 4,500 others from schools across Brighton and Hove in a sing along at the parade, led by actress Patsy Palmer and presenter Zoe Ball.

The children will sing a song called City By The Sea, which has been penned by Mark Chadwick and Matt Savage from Brighton band The Levellers.

The words have been written by Olivier Award-winning West End lyricist Stephen Clarke. The children's parade kicks off the festival on May 6.

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