SHOPPERS are being invited to a party to celebrate the end of the much-delayed roadworks which have disrupted the High Street for the last 12 months.

With free gifts, special offers, prize draws, goodie bags, gift vouchers and even free a holiday to be won, stores are hoping to entice back those who have been avoiding the city centre mess.

Big stores such as Marks & Spencer, Next, Woolworths, Debenham's and the Co-op say people have been driven away in their droves by the £1.3m renovation.

Now Martin Woodhouse, general manager of M&S, has invited the shops and shoppers to celebrate the end of the work on Saturday, May 28.

Among the offers will be free food and drink and discounts off designer clothes and beauty products.

There will also be children's entertainment, including face painters.

Worcester City Council has backed the initiative and will be adding two hours free parking onto tickets in the centre carparks.

"The High Street works seriously hacked off a lot of people and not surprisingly many of them decided to go elsewhere," said Mr Woodhouse, who'll be offering the 1,000th M&S customer a luxury food hamper.

"Now the works are nearly completed it is up to us as retailers to bring them back.

"Nearly every shop on the High Street has agreed to give something away, or slash prices, next Saturday.

"The idea is that once we have encouraged people back, they will keep coming to Worcester."

The High Street, at times, has looked more like a bombsite than the city's main thoroughfare.

But retailers are confident that the new look, matched with the enormous variety of shops, will once again make the city a winner with consumers.

Boots the chemist has been particularly affected, but general manager Denise Bishop was confident business would pick up again.

"Sales have been badly affected but the idea of bringing all the shops together should work," she said.

"Worcester has a lot to offer and can rival any other city in the Midlands for shopping."

City council deputy leader Simon Geraghty added: "We are 100 per cent behind this initiative.

"People have had a lot of hassle and it is a great idea to celebrate the end of that.

"The city is back in business."