SHOW US your stripes!

That’s the message from Southampton Football Club’s latest singing as Gilbert the zebra gets match fit for the “mane” event next summer.

As well as celebrating their success on the pitch this season which has defied all their critics – Saints are joining the stripy stampede that is set to gallop into Southampton in 2016.

The football club is the latest business to sign up to be part of Marwell Wildlife’s mass art extravaganza, Zany Zebras, which will see life-sized sculptures hit the streets of the city.

Team mascot Sammy Saint greeted Gilbert as he paid a visit to St Mary’s Stadium to finalise the summer signing.

The uniquely designed zebras will form a ten week trail throughout the city, set to attract thousands of visitors on the hunt to get a glimpse of these rare creatures.

Businesses across the region are invited to sponsor one of the sculptures, which will be decorated by local artists and positioned along the trail through the city centre.

Schools are also urged to get involved, and with more than 80 already signed up to its education programme to get their own miniature sculpture, the sequel to the Go! Rhinos event in 2013 is set to be much bigger and better.

Gareth Rogers, chief executive officer at Southampton Football Club, said: “We’re thrilled to be playing a part in Marwell's Zany Zebras.

“It’s a project that the community in Southampton can engage with and can have fun with, but most importantly it is raising funds and awareness for important conservation work by Marwell Wildlife.”

The zebra was chosen because Marwell has strong links to the grevy zebra, for which it coordinates the international breeding programme for the breed in captivity.

The zebra sculptures will later be auctioned off to raise money for conservation work in northern Kenya.

Kirstie Mathieson, project manager for Marwell’s Zany Zebras, said: “We are ecstatic that Southampton Football Club have joined the stampede and sponsored a zebra sculpture - A stripy animal – what a perfect fit.

“Marwell’s Zany Zebras unites the business, education and artistic community together to create a fantastic fun, family friendly hat-trick of its own.

"It encourages visitors and residents alike to get active, spend quality time together and enjoy what Southampton city has to offer.”

For more information about how to sponsor one of Marwell’s Zany Zebras, visit the website http://zanyzebras.org.uk/sponsors/.