THE second part of the hugely popular Cirencester Hare Festival will be launched tomorrow.

Thousands of visitors and residents have already enjoyed taking part in the festival, which features a trail of beautifully decorated five-foot hare sculptures around Cirencester and surrounding communities.

Now the artworks will be joined by an army of smaller versions, with 24 miniature models springing up in shop windows around the town.

It will launch officially tomorrow when passports books will be available for young hare hunters which can be stamped each time they meet one of the elusive creatures.

Completed passport books can be handed over and entered into a free prize draw.

The passport books will be available from Bingham House and the Corinium Museum and on Friday from a base at the Cirencester Chartered Market, where the festival’s nominated charity, The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, will be on hand to distribute hare packs and passports.

Also at the market will be students and staff from Paternoster School, who have a large hare called Blue in the Watermoor grounds. Blue’s sponsors, accountancy firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, have organised in collaboration with Paternoster a gingerbread hare decorating session.

Robert Whiddett, of Whiddett’s Bakery, is a long-standing support of Paternoster School, and agreed to supply the gingerbread hares as his cousin, Sue Daye, is a partner at Crowe Clark Whitehill.

The small hare, dubbed ‘Hare and Seek’ was the brainchild of festival organiser Florence Beetlestone who is looking forward to the day and its events. “Once again we have been inundated with support from new sponsors and of course amazing designs from our artists. We would also like to thank the people of Cirencester for getting behind the festival,” she said.

For more information visit www.cirencesterharefestival.org.uk or call 01285 655646.