Plans have been mooted for a Pride parade in Halling, after a church publicly denounced the LGBT movement.

Halling Baptist Church came under fire last month when a poster was placed on its noticeboard, in Vicarage Road, stating: "We don't celebrate Pride, we preach Christ crucified."

The message sparked controversy with residents slamming it as 'barbed', 'bigoted', and 'unnecessary', while fellow vicarage road resident Elizabeth Kitchener created her own home-made ' Be Kind' poster, which was placed over the sign.

With the issue still a hot-topic in the village, the Five Bells Pub put forward a new suggestion, posting on social media, posting "So... Pride Parade?" and the idea met with a positive response.

More than 130 people liked the Facebook post and many offered their support for the idea, with other businesses suggesting they would back the event.

New Town Social Club replied stating they had also been thinking of organising a parade, and backed the idea of a village-wide celebration.

A further statement from the club added: "We at Newtown Social Club fully support the Gay Pride March within our village. We have many LGBT members as well as LGBT volunteers on our committee. Love is never wrong!"

Others also welcomed the idea, with dozens of comments including "brilliant idea", "I'm loving this idea" and "I'm so there", while Neil Bolton added: "As long as it starts and ends next to that sign."

Halling Baptist Church responded to criticism on its website.

It said: “God’s word outlines the proper boundaries for human sexual relationships as between one man and one woman in marriage. All sexual engagement outside this boundary is rooted in our proud human condition that so often chooses to ignore or actively rebel against what God says is right.

“We are tragically in a world that is seeing the impact of this pride. The sexualisation of children, adultery, pornography, objectification, homosexual practice, harassment, and public nudity all are in contradiction to what we as Christians who believe the Bible stand for and so we cannot celebrate ‘Pride’.

“We are all sinners in need of salvation and the good news as a church that we celebrate is Christ, crucified and risen, who is the antithesis of pride and the perfect example of humble sacrificial love to all who believe regardless of their sin struggle.”

Halling Baptist Church has been approached for further comment.