A MASS march through the centre of Edinburgh, to mark the 100 years since the first British women got the right to vote, is to take place in June.

The event, called Processions Edinburgh, one of four mass marches that will take place on June 10, has now been backed by £160,000 in public money, and women and girls are being invited to sign up the event.

In the march, participants will be given scarves to wear in either green, white or violet - the colours of the Suffragettes, who campaigned for the right of women to vote – and will be choreographed "so that together they appear as a vast river of colour flowing through the city centre."

They will carry banners made in the run up to the event, which is being replicated in Cardiff, Belfast and London.

All four funding bodies in Scotland - the Scottish Government's Centenary Fund, Event Scotland, the Edinburgh council and Creative Scotland - are producing their own banners to carry on the day.

The event is being produced by arts charity Artichoke and has been commissioned by 14-18 Now, the arts programme for the First World War centenary.

Scottish Government’s Centenary Fund has given £50,000, Event Scotland also has given £50,000, Creative Scotland also has funded it with £50,000 and the City of Edinburgh Council has given £10,000.

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: "Together, we will commemorate the incredible perseverance and bravery of those women who fought for the right to vote and marched through the city’s streets 100 years ago.

"It will be a chance for us to reflect on how far we’ve come and what’s still left to fight for, and I hope to see people of all ages from all walks of life and nationalities take part.

“You can just imagine how incredible it will be to see a flowing river of people in green, white and violet processing through Edinburgh and what an amazing atmosphere it will create.

"This is the type of event people will look back on with pride in the future and say, ‘I was there’.”

Angela Constance, the equalities secretary, said: "This is part of the celebrations to mark the centenary of women’s suffrage and while we have come a long way since 1918, much still needs to be done if we are to eradicate gender inequality and create a fairer and more prosperous country."