STUDENT Ross Brooks flew the flag for Oxford’s gay and lesbian community by taking his turn on a plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The 38-year-old stood on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, one of 2,400 ‘plinthers’ who are taking a turn as “living monuments” for an hour each over a period of 100 days.

The Oxford Brookes University student took part in sculptor Antony Gormley's One & Other project on Saturday morning.

With posters, rainbow flags and coloured balloons, Mr Brooks used his hour on the plinth to promote the support network Oxford Pride and lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall.

Mr Brooks, of Latimer Grange, who is studying the history of sexuality at Oxford Brookes University, said: “There was a lovely breeze when I was up on the plinth which helped the rainbow flags to fly very well.

“The square was quite full at the time and lots of tourists took photographs.

“I wanted to use my time on the plinth to raise awareness of gay issues, national and local, particularly the horrendous level of homophobic bullying that still goes on unchallenged in Britain's schools.

“I was bullied myself at school just because I was not very macho and people called me gay — 20 years later it is still used as a term of abuse.

“Despite great advances, such as the Civil Partnership Act, gay people still get a raw deal in many areas of life, and Oxford Pride is a great support network for them.”

A team of supporters in the square blew whistles, danced and posed for photographs.

Mazz Image, Oxford Pride chairman, and 2009 Queens of Soho, John Pierce and Sid Bemment, were among those who were in the square supporting Mr Brooks.

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