INTERNATIONAL: The 137th traditional "battle of the flowers" took place in Nice on Saturday,February 19, as the southern French city's carnival has continued for the second week.

The carnival runs from February 11 to 27 under the theme "King of Animals."

Performers atop animal-themed floats ridden with flowers have waved bouquets at the crowd and threw flowers at the audience, as musicians and dancers flanked them.

Around 3,000 flowers have decorated each of the 16 floats in a celebration of the Nice region's horticultural industry.

Until a series of health restrictions were lifted on February 2, the number of attendees had been limited to 5,000 seated people but organisers now expect to welcome an additional 7,000 standing spectators.

Every year, the carnival attracts more than 200,000 spectators with its parade and annual "battle of the flowers". The event has been a fixture of the city on the French Riviera for almost 150 years.