THOUSANDS marched in Brighton at the weekend for the town’s gay pride celebrations.

Over 160,000 revellers stayed out in Preston Park into the early hours dancing to the music of Katy B and X Factor winner Sam Bailey.

The traditional parade took the opportunity to campaign for global acceptance and featured over 70 banners exposing countries where homosexuality is still illegal. 

Pride organisers said floats would “highlight not only the diversity of the world’s dancefloors but the plight of those across the globe whose basic freedom to live is denied.

“Pride Brighton & Hove stands beside our global LGBTQ brothers and sisters,” they said.

Long-time gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell stood alongside international LGBT activists campaigning against homophobia in the Commonwealth countries.

Green MP Caroline Lucas, who has represented the Brighton Pavilion constituency since 2010, also took part in the march.

Earlier on in the day she had described the event as “wonderful.”

The festival counted the support of local paper the Argus, which coloured its logo with the rainbow colours. 

And local Tesco stores also changed the chevrons under their name to make the multicoloured LGBT flag.

However police thought some had taken it a step too far and arrested 28 people.

Sussex Police chief superintendent Nev Kemp said that “officers have made a number of arrests today for a variety of offences, which can be expected at such a large event.”

Videos shared on the internet showed officers ordering young women to step down from a bus shelter rooftop where they had been dancing.

Other LGBT Pride festivities took place yesterday. 

Leeds staged its parade as the town hall flew the rainbow flag and Newcastle hosted the annual Paws With Pride dog show, which included the category Prettiest Bitch.