Hundreds of people marched through Dorchester waving rainbow flags during this year's Love Parade.

Love Parade is an annual LGBT march from South Street to Maumbury Rings to celebrate equality and solidarity of all people. 

Participants then settled down to enjoy an afternoon of music.
The parade was led by Jay Cockett, a drag queen and event organiser, who marched in the parade wearing a white wedding dress.

Mr Cockett said: “I like to support the LGBT community. It is always good to come down especially when the weather is so nice.”

Pascal, 55, also marched in drag and said: “I have been here since the beginning of Love Parade and have become part of the furniture. The theme of the parade is love, it’s about celebrating everyone's differences. I want to show that it doesn’t matter whether we are male or female, everyone deserves love.”

Chantelle Callaby attended the march with her family and said it is important that they support the event.

She added: “We come along to support LGBT people, there is not enough knowledge about this is in Dorchester, nobody knows about this stuff. 
“Doing something like this shows that we can be who we want to be.” 
Chantelle’s son Ty, 13, said he was keen to get involved with the march.
He added: “I am really excited, I think it is a great opportunity to be around like-minded people. I think it is important for children to come along and be accepted.”

Representatives from Space Youth Project, a group which supports young LGBT people in Dorset, also attended the event.

The group’s CEO Helen Walsh said: “Sadly there is still prejudice against LGBT people so we are trying to raise awareness which helps people to realise that it is ok to be LGBT, and we still deserve respect and love. 

“It is important for Dorset to know that you are allowed to be LGBT in rural areas, just because your neighbour may not be nice about it doesn’t mean all people won’t be.”