ORGANISERS of the region’s biggest LGBT festival are to complain after “hurtful” comments by one of the headline acts.

Ben Adams, singer with the boyband A1, offended fans by sharing a selfie on social media with a caption referring to his “gay” T-shirt.

The picture showed him on a train with bandmate Mark Read heading to Newcastle to headline Northern Pride. In a caption, which has since been deleted, the singer wrote: “Just realised my T-shirt looks a tad gay.....guess it’s the right gig for it”.

But organisers of the free festival took offence to the comment.

In a statement they said: “A1 did a great set before a record crowd at Newcastle Pride 2017, so it’s hurtful to see a comment like this, which highlights the importance and necessity of events like Pride.

“We will be taking up this issue with their management”.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Newcastle over the weekend for the 10th annual Pride festival, which attracted visitors from across the country.

Centrepiece of the three-day festival was a noisy and colourful city centre parade from Newcastle Civic Centre to the Town Moor, which escaped the worst of Saturday’s showers.

Other acts appearing on the Town Moor stage included Kelly Llorenna, Eurovision competitors Stooshe, and X Factor winner Sam Bailey.

Away from the main stage there was a host of other entertainment including a cabaret tent, dance tent, family zone, health zone, fun fair and market stalls.

Fifty years after the landmark legislation which decriminalised homosexuality, the festival culminates in a candlelit vigil at Newcastle Civic Centre to reflect on the fight for LGBT equality across the world.

Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, said: “Newcastle Pride 2017 holds a particular significance as it marks 10 years of the festival being held in the city”.

Northumbria Police is supporting the festival, including fielding a team of runners for the opening night Northern Front Runners LGBT 5K run on the Town Moor.

Chief Superintendent Neil Hutchison said: “Northern Pride is a fantastic event for the city and the wider region.

“We are proud to support Pride and we will have officers involved in every aspect of the weekend”.

Attendance figures have yet to be confirmed, but organisers are hopeful that, despite the rain, they will top the 73,000 who attended last year’s Pride.