A FLAMBOYANT festival that celebrates the city’s gay community will feature live music from ukulele players.

Members of Oxford Ukuleles announced they will be among the line-up at Oxford Pride this year, which is yet to announce its full programme.

Dozens of ukulele players from the group’s Big Band will gather on stage at the LGBT festival on June 3, which brings colourful costumes and a packed parade to Oxford city centre.

Band member Emma Stokes, who lives in East Oxford, said: “This is the first time we’ve performed at Pride, it’s exciting. I haven’t been before but I’m really looking forward to it. They [the organisers] contacted us - I think they had seen us perform.”

The group meets at The Port Mahon pub in St Clements every Monday, and proudly wore their specially-made Pride t shirts at this week’s practice.

Mrs Stokes said: “The group started in someone’s kitchen and grew from there. I had never played an instrument before - I think that’s true for a lot of the members - but it’s a very sociable and fun thing to do.”

The artist revealed they will cover several popular soul songs as part of their set, arranged by the group’s leader John Caudrey.

Crowds can dance along to feel-good belters including Erasure’s A Little Respect and I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, all played on the tiny string instruments.

The band expects to play in the early afternoon, but programme details have not yet been published. Last year the festival welcomed about 30 performers.