When organisers of prestigious film awards were unable to get a live elephant to launch their Millennium Dome event, they turned to Bradford.

And Lulu - a wooden elephant used for the Bradford Festival - became the star of the International Indian Film Awards.

Yukta Mookhey, the reigning Miss World, became the latest celebrity to ride the carved creation at the high-profile launch at the Dome in London.

Lulu has been a familiar and much-loved sight to crowds Bradford Festival since she was commissioned in 1992.

She is one of series of giant centrepieces created for the festival by artists Ali Allen and Marise Rose.

And her latest public outing came as a rescue mission when organisers of the launch of the International Indian Film Awards, the Bollywood equivalent of the Oscars, failed to find a suitable live elephant.

Dusty Rhodes, a former director of Bradford Festival who runs his own Bradford-based event management company called Raise The Roof, towed Lulu to London for the launch.

"It all happened at the very last minute," said Mr Rhodes.

"These people were looking for an elephant, a real live one but they couldn't find one that wanted so they contacted us because they'd heard about Lulu."

Mr Rhodes said Lulu had originally been sponsored by the Aagrah group and now spent much of her time at one of the chain's restaurants.

She and other giant festival creations, including the Alien, the Fish, the Temple Lion and TV Set, have taken part in events all over the UK.

"It's great to see Lulu out and about again," said Mr Rhodes.

"The festival has produced and continues to produce and commission fantastic work which not only brings colour and excitement to the city during festival time but can also continue to create work and promote the city beyond the confines of the festival period itself."

The Alien and the Fish, which were used to launch the festival in 1995 and 1996 respectively, were stars of the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin last month.

And they will all also appear in Bradford on the opening BBC Music Live weekend at this year's festival.

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