A GIANT game of Monopoly was played around St Albans city centre by more than 350 people at the weekend. About 100 teams took part in Sunday s event which was blessed with fine weather and saw people rushing between different locations across a square mil

A GIANT game of Monopoly was played around St Albans city centre by more than 350 people at the weekend.

About 100 teams took part in Sunday's event which was blessed with fine weather and saw people rushing between different locations across a square mile of the city centre.

Each of the teams had a special Monopoly board made up of St Albans landmarks and the dice dictated which points they visited.

Locations on the board included New Kent Road, The Boot Pub, St Albans Abbey and Sopwell Nunnery, and the game was designed to get the public outdoors to see local landmarks they might not have visited previously.

All the teams were rewarded with free tea and cakes at the finish line.

Cllr Sheila Burton led a LibDem bike-riding team comprising fellow councilors Joyce Lusby, David Poor, Allan Witherick and David Yates, along with their party's Parliamentary candidate for St Albans Sandy Walkington and two of his children.

Cllr Burton said: "We cycled, others walked, some even confessed to using their cars to reach some of the further flung destinations, but it was a great day out. Sandy's children were particularly adept at the forfeits and challenges which we had to tackle at the different locations."

She added: "It wasn't a race, there were no winners and it seemed churlish not to sample some leisurely refreshments as we went via the Duke of Marlborough and The Boot pubs. The sun shone and it was great fun. I hope it becomes an annual event."

The event was organised by the district council and managed in partnership with SAASH, the development arm of Leisure Connection.

It also marked the launch of the country's Cultural Olympiad - a four-year long programme of programmes linked with the 2012 London Olympics.

Jo Askham, Leisure Connection's arts development manager, said: "We were delighted with the public response and are planning to repeat the event next year. We had some very good feedback, as well as lots of ideas as to how we could make the event bigger and better.