Sign up now to hail St George

Licensees and pub-goers are urged to raise their glass in unison to our patron saint to mark St George's Day.

Organisers of the St George's Day celebration are calling on licensees to ring their bell at 10.44pm on 23 April and ask customers to join in a grand toast at exactly 10.45pm.

It is hoped that people from wherever they are across England will raise their glasses at the same time. Bruno Peek, national organiser of the celebrations, said: "We wanted to find a simple, symbolic way of bringing together people of all ages and nationalities living in England at one moment in time on St George's Day that could be repeated year after year."

Peek said "several thousand" pubs have already signed up to take part in the toast. See www.celebratestgeorgesday.com for more details.

Meanwhile, Wells & Young's has launched a competition to find the most unusual location to toast St George - and £1,000 is up for grabs for the winner.

Contestants must be holding a bottle or glass of Wells Bombardier Premium Bitter.

Wells & Young's chairman Paul Wells said: "What better way to celebrate St George's Day than to raise a glass of Wells Bombardier in an official toast? We expect people up and down the country to join in with what we anticipate will become a great English tradition."

To enter send a photograph of you performing the toast, and a written description of no more than 50 words of what you did and where, to The Office, 21 Coverdale, Carlton Colville, Suffolk, NR33 8TD. Entries must be received by 28 April.