The theme for the 2008 event is... underpants. And they want you to show them your best pair!

But don't worry, the festival team won't be raiding your smalls drawer.

To promote the three-week festival of arts, culture and community, hundreds of pairs of brand-new pristine white Y-fronts have been distributed to schools, groups and individuals in the area.

People are being asked to get out their sequin, felt tips, glitter and glue, and decorate their unmentionables in the most creative and fun way possible.

The finished articles will be used as a very unusual type of bunting on the main festival day at Armley Mills on Sunday, July 6.

Far from saying 'knickers' to the idea, locals have welcomed the chance to get creative – with thousands of pairs of starchy white undies already dispatched.
And it is hoped that with 2,500 pairs being decorated, Leeds could make its own world record bid by creating a kilometre-long line of underpants.

Festival organiser Jane Earnshaw, who came up with the idea, said: "Last year's I Love West Leeds festival is a hard act to follow so this year, we are stripping things down to basics!
"When we started I thought we'd be lucky to get 100 people interested.

"But we have been inundated with calls.
"Everybody wears pants – so everyone has entered into the silliness of it.

"The bottom line is: people love pants!"
The project, called 'Brief Encounters', has already produced some inspired undies – with flowers, flames and even tractors making an appearance.

A team of artists will be on hand on festival day to help even more people bring out their pant passion.

There will also be a pant parade and a pair of 'Golden Pants' for the best-decorated undies.

This year's I Love West Leeds festival runs from July 5 to 20 and includes drive-in movies, the Armley tea dance, a travelling ice-cream van complete with environmentally-friendly performers, a roller disco, a book exchange day, a dedicated radio station and much more.

* To get your hands on a pair of comedy Y-Fronts or find out more about this year's I Love West Leeds Festival, contact Interplay on (0113) 2638556 or visit: www.ilovewestleeds.co.uk