A Christian-run bakery in Belfast at the centre of a discrimination row are appealing a court ruling.

Asher's Bakery was ordered to pay stg£500 (€700) for refusing to bake the cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan on it.

Gareth Lee had asked the bakery to ice the cake depicting Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie and the logo for the campaign group, Queerspace.

Northern Ireland's publicly funded Equality Commission brought a civil action, alleging that the bakery breached its statutory duty not to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation.

A court ruled Mr Lee was discriminated against on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Judge Brownlie said at the time she believed the family who run the bakery had "genuine and deeply held religious beliefs" but said they must have been aware Mr Lee was gay and were aware of the ongoing same-sex marriage debate.

She added: "They (Ashers) are in a business supplying services to all. The law requires them to do just that."

Gavin Boyd from the Rainbow Project says he cannot see the appeal succeeding.