Most sane people's pride days start at around 9ish. You get up, you pop along to one of the many Champagne breakfasts in town to meet up with friends and you head to your selected viewing patch for the parade.

The REALBrighton team's day started way, way before then. There was a 40 foot articulated lorry to be guided to our start point, scaffold to be erected, there was a sound system to be installed, a generator loaded up, balloons to be blown up, banners to be strung up and finally a big, brown suitcase to be carefully manoeuvred onto the scaffold in the middle of it all.

Dramas this morning (and this list is by no means exhaustive) included problems with the sound system, a missing banner (thankfully retrieved in time!), a balloon arch that nearly got away, a vanishing CD and - of course - the horrible, horrible rain. I usually like rain, but not when you're trying to build a set on the back of a 40ft lorry damnit!

There will be lots more photos as they come in from our various cameras, but here are a few choice moments from the early morning start!

REALBrighton's coverage of the parade setup and our coverage of the parade this year was sponsored by the lovely girls at Crown Gardens - for which we are very grateful! Their website has details of some fabulous properties for short holiday lets - please do drop in on them at www.crown-gardens.co.uk! Our float was also supported by Legends Hotel and Amsterdam Hotel - many, many thanks to them both!