A RED hot serving of Latin spice will burst on to the streets of York tomorrow as the city goes carnival crazy.

A massive programme of exciting entertainment, which includes salsa and samba bands, will explode across the city centre. It will provide a blazing background and booming soundtrack to the colourful City of York Council-organised carnival procession, which leaves the Barbican Centre at 2pm.

Parliament Street will boast a Ferris wheel, strolling performers and samba bands and, in St Sampson's Square, the GNER salsa stage will feature a salsa DJ, bands and a free salsa workshop before the parade.

The Museum Gardens, a designated picnic site, will host the North Stars Steel Band along with a mass juggle and yo-yo session.

Other sites featuring a range of entertainment include the Eye of York and York Castle Museum, the Coppergate Centre, Dean's Park, the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, the Barbican Centre and Tower Gardens.

Today a host of street parties and other events kicked off across the area for Let's Party - the summer celebration in aid of the Evening Press-backed St Leonard's Hospice Millennium 2000 appeal. And Monks Cross Shopping Park, the carnival's main sponsors, was laying on a packed programme of fun, including the chance to win a holiday to New York.

Meanwhile, a spaceship is looking for a good home after this weekend's carnival.

Staff from McMillans bar in Rougier Street have made a silver space shuttle, measuring 15ft by 8ft, for their space-themed float.

"It seems such a shame to throw it away and we would like to hear from any school that might be interested in it," said office manager Dave Sear. Any school interested should telephone 07932 788621.