Sea of green for city's annual St Patrick's Day parade

The city's Irish community came together in a celebration of culture, heritage and traditions.

Leicester's Irish community painted the city green for Leicester's annual St Patrick's Day parade today. A talented pipe band lend the procession of more than 100 people from New Walk to Jubilee Square.

The event, held on the Sunday before St Patrick's Day on March 17, marks the death of the patron saint of Ireland. But today it is marked globally as a celebration of Irish culture.

Friends and families of all ages attended the parade, many clad in bright green outfits and striking accessories to match, even clover-shaped sunglasses. The weather has not been favourable in previous years but after several days of heavy rain and snow, the sun came out just in time.

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Members of the public stopped in their tracks to watch the stunning pipe band play various tunes while the procession grew in numbers as it moved through the city centre. Local charity, The Emerald Centre have organised the event in Leicester for generations.

Mary Groves, one of the organisers had the mammoth task of guiding the large procession through New Walk, Pocklington's Walk and down the high street. She told LeicestershireLive: "It's been fantastic. it's another year that we've done really well.

"We see more people coming out every year. We've been going a good few years now and it's normally the Sunday before St Patrick's Day."

Fellow organiser, Mairead Bholah said the Emerald Centre was hoping to hold the event on the official date next year.

See a few of the pictures from the day below.