GOVIA Thameslink Railway (GTR) has announced plans to run extra services over Pride weekend.

The celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, one of the biggest in the country, runs between August 2 and 4. 

There was chaos following last year's event when passengers were left stranded for several hours as huge crowds tried to make their way home from Brighton Pride on Saturday night.

Revellers reported “chaotic” scenes outside Brighton train station, with pictures on social media showing hundreds of people waiting to get on to the platforms.

One passenger said she waited for at least three hours before getting on a train, and there were also reports of people fainting in the large crowds.

This year GTR, which runs Southern Rail, is "adding and lengthening services to bolster capacity throughout the weekend, particularly after the main Pride in the Park event finishes on Saturday evening when additional services will run late into the night".

This year's event is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the city, as Kylie Minogue headlines the Pride in the Park event.

A statement from GTR said: "GTR has been planning for the event since January, working closely with the Brighton and Hove Pride organisers, Sussex Police, Brighton and Hove City Council and other local partners.

"In the spirit of Pride, the organisers and partners have worked closely with GTR to extend the train station’s rainbow queuing system outside, to direct passengers leaving the event into the appropriate queue for their train before they get to the station."

Angie Doll, passenger services director for Southern and Gatwick Express, said: “We are really proud to play our part in making sure travellers can get to and from this year’s Pride, which promises to be another dazzling celebration of inclusivity.

“This year, we are really pleased to have supported the organisers and partner agencies in an enhanced queuing system which will really help get people safely away from the event towards the train station.

"We are providing extra services but as you would expect for such a popular event, it will be very busy, so I would ask everyone coming to the event to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to get home.”

Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton and Hove Pride 2019, said: “Pride is an important event for our city with visitors coming in from across the UK and worldwide.

"We are extremely heartened by the positive working partnership and support over Pride weekend and the enthusiasm from all at GTR.”