HUNDREDS of gay and straight demonstrators gathered in Oxford's Radcliffe Square tonight to pay tribute to 49 people shot dead in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Members of the city's LGBT community were among those showing solidarity following Sunday's attack which also left 53 people injured.

The vigil was organised by the Oxford University LGBTQ+ society and more than 1,000 people said they were attending on the event's Facebook page.

A rainbow flag is also hanging alongside that of Oxford City Council at the Town Hall to pledge with the victims of the shooting.

City councillor Tom Hayes, who is a keen supporter of Oxford Pride and is openly gay himself, said the attack had undoubtedly been a homophobic hate crime.

He said: "This man travelled a significant amount to an LGBT nightclub during Pride, which is meant to be a celebration, to systematically attack as many as possible."

Latest reports from the FBI, which is investigating the Orlando shooting, indicate that gunman Omar Mateen was a regular at the gay nightclub Pulse where he committed the mass shooting.

Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer said he had been uplifted by the way the community has come together following a city-wide prayer service for the victims.