Bemused tourists are flocking to a giant maze erected
in London's Trafalgar Square.
The labyrinth of hedges, erected just for this week, is designed
to encourage visitors to discover some of hidden gems of the
capital's West End area, famous for its theatres and shops.
The maze is divided into sections that each carry the name of a
West End street. There are also blue plaques on display listing
quirky facts about the area.
"We welcome tens of millions of people into the West End every
week, but we wanted to encourage them to just go off the beaten
track a little bit," said Brian Connell, chairman of the West End
Partnership behind the project.
Some 5,000 people visited the maze, which measures 30 by 20
metres (98 by 65 feet), on its opening day Monday, and hundreds
more queued for the chance to get lost amongst the shrubs before it
closes Friday.
Eleven-year-old Brandon Webb from the United States was one of
them. Emerging from the maze near the steps of the National
Gallery, he told AFP: "It was really exciting.
"Once you get in, even if you lose your way, you always want to
go back in for more." He said he had learned in the maze that the
world's smallest police station is located in Trafalgar Square.
His mother Carrie Webb, 48, added: "It's a perfect idea for
tourists and Londoners alike." She said the maze had inspired her
to take her children to Covent Garden next. "It reminds you of
what's around town."
For 85-year-old Evelyn Souter, who worked in the capital during
the Second World War, the labyrinth was "a trip down memory lane".
"It was very good. It gives an insight into the history of London,"
she said.