THE Bishop of Taunton, the Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, has been appointed a parton of Somerset Day.

She joins the Duke of Somerset and Glastonbury Festival organiser Michael Eavis in the role of the event, which takes place on May 11 each year.

Somerset Day, which was first held in 2015, celebrates and champions all that Somerset has to offer for the people who work, live and play in the county.

The date was chosen through a public vote as it marks the occasion when King Alfred the Great roused the people of Somerset to rise up and defeat the invading Danish Army in the year 878.

The bishop said: "I am really delighted to become a patron for Somerset Day and I am looking forward to supporting everyone in the Somerset Day endeavours for next year.

"Somerset is such a wonderful county to live and work in and so it will be an absolute pleasure to help encourage the people of Somerset to join in and promote the celebrations for Somerset Day in 2018."

Nigel Muers-Raby, chairman of Passion of Somerset, which organises the annual event, said: "We are incredibly pleased and honoured that Bishop Ruth has accepted our invitation to become a patron of Somerset Day, and we are very much looking forward to working with Bishop Ruth on our even bigger and better plans for Somerset Day 2018."