THIS is the magnificent creation that will be stalking the streets of Liverpool this weekend.

La Princess” is the secret La Machine - the centrepiece peformance of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture 2008 year, unveiled today (Wednesday).

Designed by Francoise Delacroziere, it cost £1.8m to make and has been secretly tested in hangars at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead for the last few weeks.

La Machine’s huge mechanical star will be seen by thousands of people when it is staged in the city centre from Friday through to Sunday.

For more details, visit the website www.lamachine.co.uk