Bee-themed Pride parade leaves city 'buzzin'

Manchester's annual Pride parade has taken place, with hundreds of participants and performers braving rainy and windy conditions to strut, spin and sashay their way through the city centre. The parade saw many of those involved wearing costumes inspired by the wider Pride festival's "Buzzin' To Be Queer" theme, a homage to Manchester's emblematic worker bee. Organisers said the bee "symbolises unity" and its collaborative spirit and "sense of teamwork" was both a "testament to our city's rich history [and] a guiding principle of Manchester Pride". The four-day celebration of all things LGBTQ+, which centres around the city's Gay Village, began on Friday and continues until its traditional finale of a candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens on Monday.