THOUSANDS of people across Oxfordshire will celebrate St George’s Day today.

It used to be marked with a national holiday across England but is now celebrated with annual parades and other traditional English activities.

Despite St Patrick's, St David's and St Andrew's days arguably arriving to more fanfare than this country's patron saint's day, it has been marked officially by city council figures.

The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Jean Fooks, marked the day with a civic service at St Michael's at the North Gate yesterday.

The Sheriff of Oxford, Mohammed Altaf-Khan, also celebrated with a freemen lunch at The Mitre in High Street.

St George was born around the year 280 in what is now modern-day Turkey.

He was a soldier and eventually became a personal guard to the Emperor Diocletian.

A Christian who according to legend slayed dragons, it is thought he was executed for his religion on April 23, 303. He is also the patron saint of Bulgaria.