Click here to read more about Earth Hour. HAMPSHIRE will be plunged into darkness next Saturday as the world stages a dramatic, one-hour lights switch-off.

Between 8pm and 9pm some of the south's most famous buildings including Southampton's Civic Centre clock tower and Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower will turn off their lights.

The Daily Echo's own bright red sign will be extinguished from Saturday afternoon and darkness will descend upon iconic global landmarks from Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Homes and businesses are also being urged to join the world's second Earth Hour in a bid to raise awareness of climate change.

Sydney hosted last year's first WWF Earth Hour when 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses turned off their lights for one hour.

Experts say that if the greenhouse reduction achieved in Sydney that night was sustained for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.

Southampton City Council's environment chief Councillor Richard Williams said: "I'm excited that so many businesses and buildings in Southampton are showing clear and positive commitment to tackling climate change.

"When people hear that the ice caps are melting, it is such a big issue they can sometimes feel they are powerless to make a difference. But something as simple as turning off your lights for an hour really can have a big physical impact.

"It's not about just turning off electricity, it's about changing mindsets. Hopefully that's what earth hour will help to achieve."

As part of the Hampshire's big switch off, local radio station Power FM will be broadcasting a Party in the Dark from the top of the Spinnaker Tower which will include a link-up with other towns and cities across the UK.

Inspired by the Australians many other major cities, including Tel Aviv, Bangkok and Chicago, are joining Earth Hour 2008.