Police have defended their decision to decorate a number of cars with pride branding after a Twitter user said it was "ridiculous".

There are three cars that travel around the county with "police with pride" emblazoned on the side, along with rainbow colours - a theme closely associated with the LGBT community.

This move was inspired by similar moves by other forces across the country.

But one Twitter user branded the decision "ridiculous and unprofessional", suggesting that officers were supposed to "police without fear nor favour".

But a spokesman for the force said the cars were not intended to single out specific groups, and that the vehicles were "here to stay".

Chief Inspector Tim Cook, head of partnerships and communities at Kent Police, said: "We are proud of our county's diversity, and are committed to engaging with people of all races, religions and sexual orientation.

"While the rainbow theme is most closely linked with the LGBT community, its use on three of our newly designed police cars is to demonstrate pride in all aspects of Kent life, and not one group in particular.

"The vehicles were first displayed at the Kent Police open day on Sunday, July 2, and have been driven by officers for daily policing purposes ever since.

"They are a talking point, and the feedback received from members of the public so far has been positive.

"It is important that we continue to find new ways to engage with people from all walks of life, and we hope the presence of these vehicles on Kent’s roads will encourage people to show tolerance and respect for others, regardless of their backgrounds."