Fairytale and storybook characters brought colour and music to the streets of Leicester for the 2010 Gay Pride festival.

Up to 200 dancers, singers and marchers took part in the rainbow parade which wended its way through the city centre before arriving for carnival celebrations attended by about 7,000 people at Victoria Park.

The theme of this year's festival was fairytale, and dozens of people donned their fairy wings, magic wands and tights.

Hundreds of people took to the streets to show their support on Saturday.

Among a group of paraders carrying a huge rainbow flag were friends Darren Rance, Tara Lowe and Jessie Dose.

Tara, 23, recently moved from Evington to Milton Keynes, but returned yesterday for the festival.

"I'm gay and this is my second Gay Pride and we just come to be out and proud.

"It's a great celebration and it's brought loads of people together.

"The fairytale theme is really good."

Jessie, 31, of Beaumont Leys, is straight but wanted to support her friends.

"This is Tara's thing," she said. "It's great to celebrate being gay or bi or whatever you are. There's a great atmosphere."

Gay housemates Charlotte Davies and Steve Luker, of Highfields, were dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

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They were joined by their straight housemates Sara Freitas and Joe Boyd, who dressed as a gay closet.

"We're here to have fun," said Steve, 21. "It's my first time and I love it.

"You can really be yourself and let your guard down."

Charlotte, 22, said: "It's a chance to get out and be yourself and not having to worry about freaking anyone out too much."

Members of the Leicester Wildecats Football Club, for the lesbian, gay and bisexual community, also took part.

Chairman Gareth Miller said: "We've been here every year it's been on. It's good fun and it's a chance to promote the football team."

Performers from the Leicestershire Rainbow Voices choir were also out and proud, singing while they marched.

Chairman Adam Bacon said: "The idea came about a year ago this week when we were at Manchester Pride.

"We wanted to do something different for the gay scene here. I do feel proud to be here, it's great to march through the city.

"It's lovely to have this celebration and it's a different side to people in Leicester that a lot of people don't get to see."

Self-professed "Old Queen" John Talbot, 47, of the Saffron Lane estate, was bedecked in a fancy fairy outfit.

He said: "I wanted to come as a handsome prince but my work colleagues decided I was too gay for that.

"This is all about celebrating my sexuality with my friends and family. It's about celebrating with people who are open to diversity."

Marching band the Walsall Coronets also joined in the fun. Trainer Michelle Kirby said: "They're all excited. I wish I'd dressed up myself."

Among the workers and shoppers who lined the streets to watch the parade was Julie Smeeton, 43, of Braunstone.

She said: "I think it's really good to watch, the costumes are brilliant."

Tara Johnson, 22, of Beaumont Leys, took a break from shopping to watch. She said: "It's good fun, there's a good party atmosphere."

Parade co-ordinator David Pagett said a decision to move the festival to Victoria Park from last year's site in Belgrave Gate had paid off.

He said: "The festival was absolutely fantastic. We had more people than we expected, about 7,000, which was brilliant. Everyone enjoyed it and it was much better having it at Victoria Park.

"The costumes were absolutely fantastic, everyone made a big effort. It's going to be brilliant next year."

See more pictures from the parade

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