AFC Fylde Chairman, David Haythornthwaite, is calling on supporters called George to help bring an official Guinness World Record back to the country.

Mr Haythornthwaite, who is also president of the St George’s Day Charity Festival, has issued a plea to all people with the name George to attend a special parade during this year’s celebrations.

Event organisers at the festival, which takes place in Lytham St Anne’s every year, need to get more than 1,096 Georges to the event on Saturday 25 April to beat the 10 year-old record set in Dubai by people called Mohammed.

“It’s always struck me as odd that citizens in other countries receive a day off to celebrate their national saint’s day but here in England we don’t,” said David.

“How fitting would it be if the world record for people with the same name was broken here in England during a St George’s Day festival? To make it happen, we need all AFC Fylde supporters called George to sign up and start spreading the word.”

British architect and television presenter George Clarke, who fronts some of TV’s most popular building programmes including The Home Show, The Restoration Man and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, has also pledged his support for the official Guinness World Record attempt.

He said: “I think this is a really exciting Guinness World Record attempt that I just had to be part of.

“My grandfather and father were both called George, they obviously named me George and I then named my first son George too. What’s even more amazing is that he was born on St. George’s day!

“And with our most recent Prince being named George too, it has to be the best name in England.”

All money raised during the St George’s Day Charity Festival will be donated to the 2015 beneficiaries – ABF, The Soldiers’ Charity, Trinity Hospice and The Boathouse Youth. 

George’s that register to attend the parade will be entered into a prize draw, with the winner driving away in an English icon – a red and white MINI Cooper three-door hatch.

The St George’s Day Charity Festival takes place at Lytham St Annes from 23-26 April and features the following events:

Official raising of the flag (23 April)

Charity golf tournament (23 April)

St George’s Day Lunch (24 April)

St George’s Day Parade and official Guinness World Record attempt (25 April)

Black tie gala dinner (25 April)

Family fun day (26 April)

Run Lytham 10k (26 April)

The festival has successfully raised £85,000 over seven years. For more information, visit www.april23.co.uk