The Cathedral fireworks will bring in the New Year

A 300ft winch was being used to lift the explosives into place on Wednesday.

The 20-minute display will start on the steps of the cathedral at about 5.30pm on Friday, before fireworks explode from the pinnacle of the building.

The Liverpool Culture Company says the display will be seen by 5,000 people, and as far away as North Wales.

The company has organised the display to celebrate the end of a second year since the city was announced as European Capital of Culture 2008.

The display will be a show like no other in the UK Liverpool Culture Company

Jason Harborrow, operations director at the Liverpool Culture Company, said: "This display will be a spectacular sight and a fitting end to our year of Faith In One City.

"The cathedral is an amazing piece of architecture and the display will be a show like no other in the UK."

Cllr Warren Bradley, Executive Member for Leisure, said: "Liverpool is fast gaining a reputation for hosting amazing firework festivals.

''The expertise the city is gaining in staging and managing world class festivals and events will be invaluable in 2007 for the city's 800th birthday, and in 2008 for our year as European Capital of Culture.''

There will be more than 37,000 different firework effects in the display, with 53 different firing sites on the cathedral roof.

Hope Street, Mount Pleasant and Oxford Street will closed to traffic from 1700 GMT to 1810 GMT on Friday.