A gay rights campaigner has climbed the highest mountain in Europe to fly a rainbow flag from its peak in a swipe at Russia’s homophobic laws.

The Argus reports Keith Tomlinson, 29, from Brighton, said he wanted to raise awareness of LGBT people in a mark of defiance.

When asked why he wanted to climb the 5,642m peak of Mt Elbrus in the western Caucasus mountain range, he said he “wanted to do something cheeky” while raising money for the LGBT community.

“I hid the rainbow flag at the bottom of my sleeping bag just in case.”

He said: “I am gay and I don’t care about your silly laws, I am me”.

The 29-year-old has been raising money for Stonewall.