IT WAS once the highlight of Southampton's summer calendar.

Thousands of people descended on Southampton Common to witness the city skyline filled with balloons of all shapes and sizes.

Now over 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for the return of the Southampton Balloon and Flower festival.

The petition urges Southampton City Council to bring back the popular event for the good of the city.

It comes six years after a similar petition was signed by more than 6,500 people and had the backing of Labour MP for Southampton Itchen John Denham.

The new petition was launched after a letter from Trevor Graham from Durley was sent to the Daily Echo, and already has more than 3,000 signatures.

A message on the petition says: “The festival was a huge part of many Sotonians' lives and is greatly missed.

“This show regularly drew very large crowds and brought a massive feel-good factor to the area and was especially inspirational to generations of children who grew up in the city with the balloon festival as a landmark in their summer calendar.”

“An event like the balloon festival has value in so many areas. It is a powerful social cohesive, bringing all ages, types, classes and ethnic backgrounds together, it acts as a media focus highlighting the city and keeps the area in the business eye, bringing people into the city who may not normally visit.”

The festival was axed in 2003 after the number of people attending fell to 75,000 - half of the 150,000 people who came to the event in its heyday during the 1990s.

They also blamed the festival's £70,000 price tag and difficulties flying balloons in and around Southampton because of the increasing number of flights from the city's airport.

To view or sign the petition, visit change.org.