Megaphone preacher wins appeal

The Reverend Roland Parsons has been preaching in Gloucester for 20 years

A street preacher prohibited from using a megaphone to address passers-by has won an appeal against his ban.

The Reverend Roland Parsons has been a feature in Gloucester's city centre for more than two decades, delivering sermons to shoppers 52 weeks a year.

Then, earlier this year, the local council outlawed his loudhailer, effectively banning him from the city's carnival for the first time in 20 years.

But Mr Parsons would not be silenced. He claimed the ban was an abuse of his human rights and took the case to the High Court.

Now the council has gone back on its ruling, signing an order reversing its decision not to allow the use of a megaphone during public events.

A legal loophole means the council will still be able to reconsider the issue next year, but it has promised to be more sympathetic to Mr Parsons' views in future.