NEXT year's St George's Day celebrations in Yate could rival something we normally associate with St Patrick's Day on March 17.

Ireland's patron saint is remembered in true, patriotic style every year and now, town councillors in Yate are to discuss how to do the same for England and St George.

Cllr Chris Willmore brought up the issue at a recent council meeting. She said: "We fly a flag on poles in various places in the town every year as well as on European Day in very quiet recognition that this is England and part of Europe, and I am happy with that.

"I just want to explore whether we want to do anything more around the town or leave it as it is. There are problems with developing patriotism and that runs the risk of St George's Day being hijacked by xenophobic elements, and I am not comfortable with that.

"We do not want to be known as a xenophobic little England."

The council unanimously agreed to set up a working group, emitting the "right overtones", to look into the possibilities of bigger celebrations.

Requests from parishioners for events to mark April 23, made after this year's anniversary, were also brought to the council's attention including a maypole for St Mary's Green.

The idea of a special service on the day was also discussed, but Cllr Arthur Adams said enough was done to celebrate St George already.

He said: "We fly the flag and support anyone in the town who wishes to do so. I do not want to pursue it any further."

Cllr Tony Davis said: "We have traditions belonging to England and that is great but they do not necessarily have to be celebrated on St George's Day. I think it is irrelevant to a lot of people anyway."

Out of seven people interviewed by the Gazette ahead of this year's anniversary, only two were unaware of when St George's Day actually was.