Redheads could finally have their own emojis next year

This time next year people with ginger hair could finally have their own emoji.

A list of 67 draft emojis has been compiled by Unicode to gain status by June 2018.

Apple currently has six different skin tones, and over a dozen hair styles for its characters but has faced criticism on social media for not introducing a redhead.

Joleen Cronin, founder of the Irish Redhead Convention in Crosshaven, Co Cork, says it is great to be finally recognised.

"I think it's very exciting that we're finally getting a redhead emoji," she said.

"It's been a long campaign. For several years, really, there was a global petition to get the Unicode to get the redhead emoji, and finally it's happening.

"So I think I speak for all the redheads when I say we're very excited."