A COLOURFUL celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in Colchester has been cancelled due to the coronavirus... but organisers have promised it will return with a bang next year.

The fourth edition of Colchester Pride was set to take place this summer, welcoming RuPaul's Drag Race, X Factor and The Voice stars to the surroundings of Firstsite gallery.

However organisers have been forced to pull the plug on 2020's event as the Covid-19 outbreak envelops the world.

Organisers announced the news in an emotional post on social media.

A spokesman for Colchester Pride said: "Due to the current situation regarding Covid-19, the Colchester Pride team have made the heartbreaking decision to postpone pride until next year.

"We hoped we could bring you an event sometime in 2020, but due to the uncertainty surrounding the current pandemic, we felt it best to wait and come back with a bang in 2021.

"Whilst we are incredibly saddened to have made this decision, we have done so with the best intentions to keep our community safe. Your welfare is, and always will be, our prime concern.

"We were so excited for this year's event and feel we had created a really wonderful day for the community.

"We are sad this can no longer go ahead as planned but remain hopeful we can create some smaller events in the autumn winter in the run up to a spectacular Colchester Pride 2021."

Revellers who have already purchased tickets for Colchester Pride 2020 will be refunded in the coming days.

The team behind the event have just applied for charity status and promised they won't be disappearing despite the cancellation.

The spokesman continued: "The committee would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us this year.

"To our funders, local business partners, performers, volunteers and everyone who contributed to Pride 2020, we are so grateful for your belief and support.

"Colchester Pride is ongoing and we will keep you updated on our ongoing projects."

For updates, visit facebook.com/Colchester.Pride.