A PROFESSIONAL dog walker and trainer has been crowned Mr Gay Europe after campaigning to get more people in the LGBT community to adopt children.

Matt Rood, from Brighton, travelled to Stockholm, Sweden, to compete against other national title holders in the five-day contest.

He progressed to the continental event after winning Mr Gay England earlier this year following a three-month contest which saw him work to promote equality for the LGBT community and introduce his campaign, Pride Families.

The 37-year-old said: “I am truly honoured and incredibly proud to bring this title back to England.

“It was so hard and every single day there were two demanding challenges.

“The sport round was very tough and we had to do the Swedish rugby team’s fitness challenge and compete against each other.

“I feel very honoured. To the people who say it is just a beauty pageant, it really is so much more and you really have to use your head.”

Mr Rood won the social media challenge and the my project challenge, coming second in the preliminary interview, the photo challenge and the sports challenge, third in the written test and fourth in the online vote.

He won the contest with a total score of 845 out of maximum of 1200.

The aim of Mr Rood’s winning campaign is to bring people together to talk and learn more about adoption, such as getting experienced adopters to talk to prospective couples from the LGBT community about the process.

He added: “As a former foster carer and an out and proud gay man I have knowledge and experience of this subject and would like to encourage a positive attitude globally.

“The response to my project was great at the contest and the judges thought it was a very well thought out campaign.

“It can be very effective and I have created a model that I will now look to expand on and take to other organisations around Europe.

“I am working with local councils and charities at the moment to hold talks and share my project with a wider audience.”

The result was announced at Pride Park in Stockholm during Stockholm Pride on August 5, the final day of the contest.