IT WAS the proud celebration of love and diversity which united thousands of people on the streets of Southampton.

Now organisers of the city’s spectacular Pride march are planning to do it all again and bring it back next year.

They are urging everyone who supported it to have their say on how the festivities can be made even better.

As previously reported, the city was swept with colour when thousands of people gathered to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and tackle prejudice and hate crime.

Now those who spearheaded it are inviting residents to a public meeting to share their views on what went well and how things can be improved next year.

Revellers covered themselves in face-paint and proudly sported colours of the rainbow flag for a mass street party in what was the first time Pride has been held in the city for 20 years.

Musicians and entertainers took to the stage in West Marlands Road where people of all ages and backgrounds braved blustery winds and torrential downpours.

Organisers had resurrected plans to set up a Pride in 2012 before transgender activist and organiser Chrisie Edkins tragically died.

They were spurred on by the global outpouring of grief following the massacre of 49 people during the Orlando shootings earlier this year.

Vie Portland, who co-organised this year’s event with Julieanne Watling-McCarthy, Daniel Harris, James Sayers and Michael Ghee, said: “We are incredibly proud and grateful for the support of this year’s Pride and we would love to have another one next year.

“Now we want to find out what people liked and didn’t like and how we go forward.

“We want it bigger and better in theory but maybe people want a similar sized street party.

“We will now have longer to arrange it and get more support.”

She said she has been “overwhelmed” by the feedback from revellers and added: “Southampton has been desperate for this for years and the performers were so proud to be there in front of a home crowd.”

Southampton City Council cabinet member for communities Councillor Satvir Kaur praised organisers and said: “They delivered an event to make us proud.

“It was so much more than a street party and brought people together to show solidarity with the LGBT community.

“If they have plans for next year I will be supporting them and anything we can do to make it bigger and better.”

She warned more needs to be done to tackle prejudices and hate crime, adding: “People are still being targeted despite fighting for their rights for so many years.”