Pupils of a dozen schools across Manchester tucked into a special St George's Day themed lunch today.

The menu was sausage and Yorkshire pudding or cheese and onion pie served with chips and beans. Pudding was jam sponge and custard or St George's biscuit, which is a shortbread biscuit iced with a red and white England flag design.

Schools having a St George's Day themed lunch were All Saints' Primary School (Gorton), St Joseph's RC (Longsight), North Manchester High School for Boys, Haveley Hey (Benchill), Sacred Heart (Baguley), St Elizabeth's RC (Peel Hall), St Richard's RC (Longsight), Medlock Juniors (Chorlton-on-Medlock), St Francis RC (Gorton), Chorlton Park Primary and Cedar Mount High School.

Manchester Fayre, the city council's catering service, runs special themed days to mark all four Great British saints' days as well as running country-based themed days including Greek, Spanish, Italian, Caribbean, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, French, Around the World and European days.

Councillor Bernard Priest, Manchester City Council's Executive Member whose responsibilities include school meals services, said: "This is just another fun idea to help children enjoy their schools meals at the same time as eating a nutiritionally-balanced meal."