Thousands take to streets for St George

Thousands of people enjoyed St George's Day celebrations across the West Midlands.

There were events in Birmingham and the Black Country over the weekend, climaxing yesterday in West Bromwich which was transformed into a sea of red and white as more than 20,000 people celebrated England's patron saint.

People from across the region paraded along Marsh Lane, Walsall Road, Heath Lane, Church Vale, Dagger Lane and Lloyd Street before entering Dartmouth Park.

Crowds gathered first in Westminster Road, where they were treated to entertainment including a Punch and Judy show, clowns, balloon modelling.

Getting those present into the spirit was Baggies legend Bob Taylor and organiser Mark Cowles, from the Stone Cross St George Association.

And the crowd were treated to a right royal surprise, when a lookalike of the Queen made a grand appearance just before the march began. Mr Cowles said: "It's another great day and there must be more than 20,000 here.

"I think it's very special to see all these people and the sea of colour It makes me very proud to be involved in something like this."

Organisers had faced a race against time to raise the £10,000 needed to ensure the march could go ahead.

There were loud boos for Sandwell Council during the speeches, after the authority withdrew its financial support for the event following claims that the 2008 parade had been hijacked by political extremists and illegal drinking along the route. There were no such problems yesterday and Bob Taylor said he was enjoying the third parade he had been to.

Jamie Sheppard, aged 26, from West Bromwich, was with partner Gemma Hall, son Kai, aged two, brother Liam Jones, aged 13, and mother Sam Sheppard, 50.

He said: "I think it's about time that we started supporting St George's Day properly, like this."

The day before families descended on Dartmouth Park for a council-organised fun day. TV star Keith Chegwin hosted the event.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people flocked to Walsall for its first town centre St George's Day parade on Saturday.

Shoppers looked on as members of local Royal British Legion branches joined scouts and cadet groups in escorting the national flag from the Asda in Digbeth along Park Street, before finishing outside the town's New Art Gallery.

Halesowen staged its St George's Day celebrations with thousands of people gathering in the High Street on Saturday for events celebrating English culture.

Ex-servicemen and women marched from Hagley Road along the Queensway and past St John the Baptist Church, before coming to a halt at Somers Square where a stage had been set up.

In Birmingham, events were held in Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square on Saturday.