IT MAY be St George’s Day today, but plenty of patriotic folk have been flying the flag early to mark England’s patron saint’s day.

Many took advantage of the sunny weather at the weekend to celebrate. Around 1,000 peopl, waving red and white flags, flocked to Wheatley Recreation Ground on Saturday for the annual fair.

Villagers and visitors bounced on castles, ascended a climbing wall, got up-close and personal with some birds of prey, and even watched a pantomime of the life of St George. Jess McCaldwell, five, from Garsington, went with her father. She said: “I liked going on the bouncy castle and watching the sumo wrestling.”

Her Dad, Ed McDowall, 47, said: “It was a fabulous day, organised really well by St Mary’s church and the parish council, they deserve a lot of credit.”

Anne Hallett, 60, from Wheatley and her grandson Stanley Davies, three-and-a-half, went on an insect hunt and made finger puppets. She said: “Everybody had a wonderful time because the weather was so lovely.”

Everything at the community-organised event, now in its seventh year, was free, including the barbecue.

Organiser Gordon Ewbank, 56, said: “It really helps strengthen our community.”

In Wallingford, kids big and small filled the Market Place and watched the Punch and Judy show, had their faces painted and met donkeys from a local sanctuary.

There were also performances from Old Speckled Hen Lancashire Morris Dancers, Shady Grove String Band and Wallingford School choral group.

Violet Tuckley, seven, from Wallingford, went along with her Dad, Philip, and got caught up in the drama of the Punch and Judy Show.

She said: “It is like a comedy with puppets, and there was a crocodile. “First he tried to eat the baby and then he tried to eat Punch. I also bought a lucky bracelet, it is quite pretty.”