Processing of a target is often probed by impeding performance through neighbouring elements. For example, performance strongly deteriorates when a vernier is flanked by two neighbouring lines. This deterioration is often explained by mechanisms based on local spatial interactions. In foveal vision, however, we could recently show that if the number of flanks increased performance improved indicating global rather then local spatial processing (see Malania et al., ECVP 2006). Here, we performed analogous experiments in peripheral vision. Stimuli consisted of a vernier target presented at 4° eccentricity flanked on both sides by a variable number of lines. Distance between flanking lines was constant in all conditions. Verniers and flanking lines were randomly presented for 150 ms either to the left or to the right of a central fixation dot. Five well trained subjects participated in the experiment. We found that an increase of the number of flanks first deteriorated and then improved performance. As in foveal vision, local spatial interactions cannot explain these results.