Manchester Pride issues update after UK festivals hit by cancellations and closures due to Storm Lilian

Bosses at Manchester Pride are "monitoring the situation" as Storm Lilian sweeps across the region, but the event is currently expected to continue as planned they say.

The storm is sweeping over the UK this morning (Friday), bringing windy and wet weather with strong gusts of up to 60mph hitting Greater Manchester. Trees have fallen onto cars, houses and trams lines across all parts of our region.

A number of events have been affected. The first day of Bolton Food and Drink Festival has been postponed following damage to stalls and the main stage.

READ MORE: Manchester Pride 2024: Friday stage times and line-up with Jessie J, Gok Wan and Keala Settle

Elsewhere, two stages as Leeds Festival have been closed whilst festival-goers at both Leeds and Creamfields in Cheshire have reported chaotic scenes with tents being sent hurtling into the air.

Thousands are set to pour into the city centre for this year's edition of Pride, one of the biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the country. This year’s Gay Village Party will be headlined throughout the four-day weekend by the likes of Rita Ora, Sugababes and Loreen. Jessie J and Keala Settle are headlining its two stages tonight.

Current forecasts expect the storm conditions to have passed by the afternoon and Pride bosses say there are not expecting any impact on the event and timings, but they are watching conditions closely.

A spokesperson for the event said: "We are closely monitoring the situation with Storm Lillian, which, according to the Met Office, is scheduled to ease this afternoon. At this stage the event will continue as planned, and we will provide updates if the situation changes."

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