Shoppers were caught by surprise by the procession, which included a giant 'maggot' as well as around 20 organisers.

The parade aimed to highlight what the group sees as the devastating effect that the canal corridor plans for a new town centre based on chain stores will have on the existing city centre and community life.

The performance, which was organised by those involved in the forthcoming Carnival of Culture, moved through the city centre from Penny Street to Market Square and then along to Stonewell.

Lancaster artists performed street theatre, while 'grey men' could be spotted enticing Lancastrians with the promise of bags full of shopping.

Once within their reach the shoppers had their souls sucked out by a giant 'maggot.'

The performance helped advertise the upcoming Carnival of Culture celebrations on March 1.

The Carnival of Culture will be a day of celebration with many musicians and performers, which will not only highlight opposition to Centros Miller's retail plans for the canal corridor site but also other controversial schemes such as Lawson's Bridge.

Kirsty Reed, one of the organisers, said: "There are real worries that the Centros plans will cause local shops to close down and town to be constantly gridlocked.

"Any shops that survive the Centros development will be picked off by an out of town supermarket development down the A6.

"The Carnival of Culture is just the start. We'll carry on working for a cultural quarter by the canal and thriving local shops. If we get

this right Lancaster could well become the St Ives of the north."