Thousands celebrate at Redhead Day Festival in the Netherlands

Crowds gather on Redhead Day, or Roodharigendag, in the Dutch city of Breda (Picture: EPA)

More than 1,400 redhead revellers from 52 countries took over the southern Dutch city of Breda, where the event has been held since 2005.

With approximately just 1–2 per cent of the human population born with red hair, many participants head to Roodharigendag to meet up with like-minded, or like-haired, redheads.

  Over 1,400 redheads attended the annual festival (EPA)

'Getting a group of redheads together in this way is pretty rare, we lack the opportunity for community that most other minority groups have,' explained Jessica Shailes of online retailer Everything for Redheads.

'There will be a real opportunity to share experiences, opinions and sun block!'

Another visitor added: 'It is a weird feeling to not stand out. It's good.'

Festival organiser Bart Rouwenhourst added: 'We have families with children, we have older people who were teased as children and then we have many proud women who come to the festival.

'When people come together as redheads, they just look at each other,' he told the BBC. 'They have a certain bond.'

The festival, paid for in part by the local government in Breda, offers cultural events, music, a fashion show and art exhibitions from and for the red haired community.

- metro.co.uk