A woman who was beaten unconscious because of her sexuality will join police on Leicester's Pride parade tomorrow.
Kerry Byrnes will walk alongside members of Leicestershire Police's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) network in the event's centrepiece parade through the city centre.
Pride takes places a fortnight after two men taunted the 23-year-old about her sexuality before punching her in the head until she lost consciousness.
Kerry, who is recovering from injuries including a fractured cheekbone, took up an invitation to take part from Assistant Chief Constable, Phil Kay.
She said it had taken several days to consider the offer because she still feels nervous leaving her home and believed she would feel uneasy in a large crowd.
On Wednesday, she left her house for the first time since the attack, which happened in her home town of Oakham early on Sunday, August 17.
Kerry, who moved from Leicester to Oakham seven years ago, said: "I go to Pride every year and was planning to go to go this time, too, but I cancelled my plans after the attack.
"I didn't want to be around a crowd of people, even if it was Pride. But the police have said they will look after me.
"It's good to know there are people out there supporting me.
"I went out of the house for the first time on Wednesday and that was a big step for me.
"I'm feeling better physically, but mentally I'm still getting there."
Martyn Parker, chairman of Leicester Pride, said: "Some people have said Pride is no longer necessary, but then an assault like this will happen and remind us there are still people like these men out there."
Mr Parker, who has worked with police on the force's Stamp It Out campaign against hate crime, said he would give Kerry a pass to go backstage at the Pride event in Victoria Park.
Kerry shared a photograph of her injured face on social media in the days after the attack and urged people to help police find the two attackers.
Police in Oakham printed a leaflet featuring the photograph and showed it to people in the town's bars last weekend.
The suspects are white, in their 20s and about 5ft 7in.
One wore a hooded top. The other had spiky blond hair.
Sergeant Joanne Hodson, of Oakham police, said: "The response from the community has been 'this is a terrible incident and we will do whatever we can to help'.
"We've also had a wonderful response from the media.
"We are happy the message has gone far and wide because we needed as many people as possible to see it.
"We are quite a small band of people at this police station and we are all pulling together to do our bit for this young woman."
Anyone with information about the incident should contact Pc Mark Barlow on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
