ORGANISERS hope that this year’s 25th Pride will bring the whole city together to celebrate its “unique diversity”.

Brighton Pride co-director Paul Kemp said he hoped that this year’s landmark Pride could help smash fundraising targets with the backing of local businesses.

Politicians have praised the bravery of the first Pride marchers as the city celebrates its 25th anniversary.

Sussex Police have issued warnings over legal highs and unlawful outdoor gatherings on the weekend when the city becomes one giant colourful party.

More than 160,000 revellers are expected to fill the city’s streets, Pride events and bars on the busiest weekend of the year.

Top police figures have said that while road closures and sheer volume of visitors will cause delays, visitors should not be put off from coming to Brighton and Hove.

Brighton Pride co-director Paul Kemp has been working flat-out to ensure that everything runs smoothly over the weekend.

He said: “We hope this anniversary year that the city comes together to celebrate the unique diversity of our city.

“With the support of local businesses we hope to top our community fundraising targets for the Rainbow Fund and the new social impact fund.

“This year we expect the community parade to one of the most colourful and spectacular with the largest number of floats that we have every had in the parade, including our own Pride 25 float with live percussion.”

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Betts has warned revellers from using so-called legal highs such as nitrous oxide gas highlighting the risks of asphyxia through inhalation.

He said the weekend event would have a “strict zero tolerance policy" on illegal drugs and legal highs with drugs dogs stationed at the entrance to Preston Park and the Pride Village Party.

He said: "We are advising people not to take any form of substance sold as a 'legal high'.

“These products are often not intended for human consumption and can have severe health implications and in some tragic cases deaths have occurred.”

Green convenor Phélim MacCafferty praised the bravery of those who walked the streets for Brighton’s first Gay Pride march in July 1973.

He said: "As thousands descend onto the streets of the city this weekend we should remember the courage of those who took part in that first march.

“Over this weekend we could do well to remember the LGBT pioneers who came out on the streets 25 Prides ago.

“We will need their steely determination to wipe out discrimination and achieve lasting equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.”