HUNDREDS of scouts will march from Salisbury Cathedral to St George's Church in Harnham to mark the medieval church's 900th anniversary this year.

The St George's Day parade will be among the first in a huge series of community events for all ages between April and November to honour the landmark year in the church's history.

Pupils for Harnham Junior School will ring the church bells 900 times on St George's Day itself, (Thursday, April 23) to kickstart the year of celebrations.

Then, on the Saturday, the St George's Day parade will take place, with around 600 scouts walking from the cathedral, along the town path to the church, where a medieval fair will be in full swing.

Organiser Martin Filipe said: "We are celebrating 900 years of the church which is the heart of our community. This actually makes us 100 years older than the Magna Carta."

Events throughout the year will include a beer festival, history tours, family fun days, fêtes, extreme sports, barbecues, a pet show and much more.

The first known mention of St George's Church is in a document from 1115, when the cathedral was still at Old Sarum, in which King Henry I granted Coombes and Harnham churches to Bishop Roger.