In celebration of the US state of Minnesota legalising equal marriage this week, the city of Minneapolis has lit up one of its bridges with rainbow colours.

Minnesota became the twelfth US state to allow equal marriage, as Governor Mark Dayton on Tuesday signed a bill into law, allowing same-sex unions.

The I-35W bridge in Minneapolis was lit up with rainbows in a picture posted on the city’s official facebook page, following Mr Dayton’s speech, and him officially signing the bill.

Mr Dayton signed the bill into law on Tuesday at 17:00 local time using eight separate pens. It will allow same-sex weddings to take place from 1 August.

Citing the US Constitution, Mr Dayton said: “The right to liberty certainly includes marrying the one you love.”

St Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, tweeted in favour of the measure passing in the house last week, and again this week, that he had renamed the Wabasha Bridge in support of passing equal marriage.

Rainbow flags were also flown in St Paul, Minnesota ahead of the vote on equal marriage, in support of the measure.

Advocates of equal marriage have commended efforts in the state, which went from having a question on a ballot which would have banned equal marriage, to legalising it, in just over six months.

On 6 November, voters in Minnesota voted ‘no’ on Amendment 1, a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as being a union solely between a man and a woman.