BY GEORGE! IT'S A DAY TO CELEBRATE BEST OF BRITISH

In the warm spring sunshine huge crowds celebrated St George’s Day five days early and also joyously welcomed home 120 brave Gurkha soldiers from war-torn Afghanistan.

The parade in West Bromwich, West Midlands, saw 20,000 people line the streets. A flock of white doves was released by the Support Our Troops group at the start of the two-mile walk to mark England’s patron saint.

Organiser Trevor Collins, from the Stone Cross St George Association, said: “The response has been overwhelming.”

And in Manchester city centre the streets buzzed with people singing patriotic songs. Lord Mayor Mavis Smitheman led a procession of famous figures from English history.

And hero war veterans waved from an open-top bus. Edwina and Phil Bailey, from Burnage, brought their two-year-old grandson Zak. Edwina said: “It’s a lovely tradition to pass on.”

Meanwhile, loyal troops from the 2nd Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles were given a heroes’ welcome on their return to barracks in Folkestone, Kent, from Helmand Province.

The soldiers were all presented with traditional white khada garlands in recognition of bravery during the tour. Sadly, two of their men were killed by Taliban rebels.