Giant water fight attracts hundreds in Bristol city centre

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-32997522

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Hundreds of people have taken part in a giant water fight in the centre of Bristol.

The event, organised by the Bristol Smile Instigation Collective, saw thrill-seekers armed with squirt pistols, water filled balloons and mega blasters descend on Millennium Square.

The event kicked off at 19:30 BST, with a countdown on the square's big screen.

Becca Mills, one of the organisers, said: "We weren't expecting that many people but it's quite a big space."

Launched on the group's Facebook page less than a week ago, the "awesome water fight" attracted nearly 3,500 sign-ups ahead of the event.

With temperatures approaching 20C (68F), hundreds descended on the square for the public water fight - using its water fountains to fill up balloons, bottles and buckets.

"We didn't realise it was going to be this well attended or get this big," admitted Ms Mills.

"Because it exploded so much, it was all a bit last minute."

Set up to boost community "happiness and wellbeing", the Smile Instigation Collective has been running a series of workshops focussed on "interacting with strangers".

Along with organising an art exhibition in a phone box, decorating trees with ribbons and attaching helium balloons to bicycles, the group also gave out cakes and flowers to strangers.