Scissors do a star turn

At the opening ceremony which launched Liverpool as the 2008 European capital of culture, UK rental company, AFI Uplift, provided 12 scissor lifts to event specialist, Production Eye, to help add more drama to the show.

With maximum heights from 7.8m to 17.2m, the scissors carried lighting to illuminate performers such as Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart who were taking part in the free open air show, attended by over 40000 people.

Some of the machines took centre stage when they provided an unusual platform for performers, including singers, poets and choristers, to work from. The units were raised and lowered during the performances to add to the spectacle.

The scissors were positioned around the historic St George's Hall, with some being manoeuvred between the enormous columns at the entrance to the Hall. Simon Barrington, production manager for the event, said, "The AFI scissor lifts were ideal for the lighting because they provided a clear line of sight between the lights and the areas being illuminated."

AFI Uplift's range of scissors includes models from Skyjack, JLG, PopUp Products, UpRight, Holland Lift, LiftLux and Genie.