Bells across East Devon will be ‘ringing for England’ to mark St George’s Day.

Towers in 23 towns and villages, including Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary, will be ringing out as part of a national challenge to get all 200,000 bells in the country to chime between 9am and 9pm tomorrow (Saturday).

Anne Bailey, tower captain at Sidmouth Parish Church, will be leading her team in the challenge from 6pm to 6.30pm.

She said: “The initiative has been enthusiastically embraced by ringers and has seen teams from various towers working together to ensure the maximum number of towers can participate.”

Sidmouth Parish Church will also host the Devon Association Open Festival between 10am and noon tomorrow. Teams will compete by ringing the same sequence of changes. Similar competitions will take place at Sidbury and Otterton. Bellringers will also mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.