Rain can't stop the celebrations as thousands line the streets for a massive Manchester Pride parade

It was Barbra Streisand who once sang 'Don't Rain on My Parade', and that was very much the mood in Manchester City Centre this afternoon as day two of Manchester Pride got underway.

Following a successful launch night in the Gay Village on Friday evening, today, all eyes were on the parade. This year’s theme was 'Queerly Beloved', which was chosen to celebrate love in the 10th anniversary year of marriage equality in the UK after the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was passed on July 17 2013.

Crowds donning raincoats and multi-coloured umbrellas braved the showers to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community as the Manchester Pride parade officially got underway. As expected, there was plenty of sparkles, rainbows and fabulous outfits - and by last count a staggering 227 different floats and groups involved.

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It's become one of the main highlights of the four-day celebration, and this year's event didn't disappoint. Starting at the top of Liverpool Road and working its way down Deansgate, crowds were treated to bold, beautiful, and frankly showstopping display as floats led by a theme of ''Queerly Beloved', showed the very best of Pride.

It's not everyday that you see a locomotive, a Scottish country dance group and a bus load of reunited Real Housewives originals in eye-popping feathered outfits, but that is was makes the parade such a joyous and unique event.

Thousands of participants in both marching and riding floats were involved this year, including firefighters, NHS workers, and even screenwriter Russell T Davies for George House Trust.

Outside the Beetham Tower, where the parade began, crowds waving Pride flags threw their whole support behind those