Thousands take part in Pride march through Glasgow city centre

Thousands of people have descended on Glasgow city centre in a colourful celebration of LGBT rights.

The Mardi Gla Pride march is the latest in a series of events taking place around the world marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

It is the first of two marches in support of the LGBT community expected to take place in Glasgow this summer.

Police and organisers said about 7,000 people were taking part in the celebration.

Last year's event was hit by serious problems when people with tickets were denied entry to a post-march festival.

• Stonewall: A riot that changed millions of lives

The group behind the ill-fated 2018 event at Kelvingrove Park is organising a Pride march on 17 August.

However, the Glasgow Mardi Gla Pride march has been organised by a separate organisation - the LGBT Co-op.

The parade of walkers and decorated floats set off from Kelvingrove Park at 11:30.

They made their way from Kelvin Way to Sauchiehall Street, Blythswood Street and West George Street before ending up in George Square.

There they saw the distinctive rainbow flag, adopted by the Pride movement, flying above the Glasgow City Council chambers.

The flag has just returned from New York after being carried at the front of the British embassy delegation during World Pride in New York.

It was taken to the US city by Will Labate, the New York-born chairman of the Glasgow LGBT Co-op.

Mr Labate said: "It was an amazing honour to have taken the pride flag to my other home city New York where it was proudly carried in front of four million spectators watching World Pride.

"Glasgow will be a sea of rainbow colours as thousands of people march in Glasgow's Pride."

Strathclyde Student Union will host a Pride festival after the march, with a programme of entertainment.

The flag set to fly above Glasgow City Chambers was part of World Pride in New York