PUB staff are hoping to celebrate England's patron saint's day with a bang because they believe it has been overshadowed by less patriotic festivities.

Every year, St Patrick's Day is seen in England as a chance to let your hair down and have a few drinks - and for pubs and clubs to hold major promotional events, despite it being an Irish celebration.

However, St George's Day is rarely, if ever, celebrated with such fervour and the Quaker Coffee House, in Darlington, is hoping to change this today.

Fancy dress, flags, competitions, giveaways, music and offers on such patriotic beers as St George's Flag and Bombadier will make the day go with a swing, from 11am to 11pm.

Bar staff at the pub will be in "traditional English" outfits and there will be ten free pints of beer for the taking on the night, for the "most patriotically dressed person".

Event organiser Peter Jones, of door staff providers Royal Security, said: "We can get extensions for St Patrick's Day, but we can't for St George's Day. It seems to be forgotten that St George is our saint."

This evening, Fat Stanley's Manly Handles will provide music at the pub, in Mechanics Yard, with such typically patriotic tunes as Land of Hope and Glory included in the repertoire.