TWO councils will fly the rainbow flag later this month for the Witney and Oxford Pride festivals.

The flag will be hoisted above West Oxfordshire District Council between May 17 and 31 for Oxford Pride, which runs from May 17 to June 12.

Witney Town Council will fly the flag on Saturday, May 25, for the Witney Pride Picnic at Church Green.

Read again: Kaleidoscope of colour for Oxford Pride 2018

It comes after LGBT campaigner and Witney resident, Paul Hicks, wrote to both councils requesting that the flag was flown annually for local Pride events.

He said: "I’m really pleased with the outcome and this action can be seen as a symbol of Local Government’s support for the LGBT community in West Oxfordshire."

The flag is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and LGBT social movement.