THE stars really turned on the style for Manchester Pride 's Big Weekend.

There was no holding back on the glitz, glamour and sequins as music stars headed to the main stage over the bank holiday weekend, for the city's celebration of gay culture.

Boy George set the ball rolling at the start of the weekend - donning a red hat and suit complete with bejewelled beetles. He wowed the crowds with his DJ set - and also treated fans by singing along to some of the dance numbers.

Former Moloko frontwoman Roisin Murphy was also streets ahead in the fashion stakes - her performance included no fewer than six costume changes, complete with a range of wacky headwear.

Her flamboyant set was one of the highlights of the weekend, culminating in a spectacular performance with a series of masks.

Celebrity guests joining revellers over the weekend included Coronation Street's Vicky Binns and Nikki Sanderson, The Apprentice's Alex Wotherspoon and Emmerdale babe Roxanne Pallett.

And the latest evictee from the Big Brother house, Nicole Cammack, made a surprise appearance on stage to perform an energetic dance routine with boyband Avenue - all being filmed for Channel 4's Big Brother's Little Brother show.

Sophie Ellis Bextor performed all her big hits like Take Me Home and Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) - plus got the crowd jumping with Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, in her teeny blue sequinned hotpant suit.

The crowds were also buoyed by the colourful appearance of zany Danish pop band Alphabeat.

Proceedings were brought to a close with a performance from M People diva Heather Small, fresh from her performance at the Olympics handover celebrations in London.

The Big Weekend ended with the traditional candlelit vigil in Sackville Park to celebrate, remember and pay tribute to those who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.

And Heather summed up the mood of the entire weekend when she got revellers singing along to her huge solo hit Proud amid the twinkling lights.

This year's Pride, of which the M.E.N. were media sponsors, has been bigger than ever before - with record-breaking crowds turning out for the float parade on Saturday, and into the village for the mainstage events over the course of the Big Weekend.

Click on the gallery above to see more pictures.

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