ORGANISERS of the first Winter Pride Festival in Barrow have said the event passed all of their expectations.

In the 50th year since homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK, the event was a special day for the LGBT community in the town.

The celebration of diversity in the town drew in hundreds of people, including Barrow mayor Anita Husband and MP John Woodcock.

Pride events draw thousands of people in the north of the County, but there has never been a meeting of this scale in the South.

One of the organisers, Lee Wicks, chair of the chairman of the Friends & Supporters of the Furness LGBT Community said: "I wasn't expecting it to be this busy. I'm proud of the Barrovians. Because we've never done it, we weren't sure how it would go. It's exceeded our expectations."

Inside the Forum guests were treated to musical and dance performers to help them get in the party atmosphere.

Dotted through the hall were dozens of stalls representing local and county wide services. Stall holders were there to talk about LGBT issues, and others were simply there to show solidarity.

Cumbria Police were at the pride festival to let people know the police was there for everyone, no matter their gender or sexuality:

Mr Wicks said the openness and acceptance of events like Barrow Pride were a far cry from what life was like 30 years ago.

He said: "There was nothing in the 80s. Clause 28 set us back a lot, it was a persecutory law."

John Woodcock who attended the event said pride summed up how he felt when he saw the turnout.

He said: "Pride is the right word, it's a sign of the way our community is changing and becoming more open and accepting of everyone in it."

Find out more about Barrow Pride in Monday's edition of the Evening Mail.

Read what Mr Wicks had to say in the run up to Barrow's first pride event