The number of people who identify as English in County Durham and Darlington has fallen in the last decade, it has been revealed.

It comes on St George’s Day, the annual celebration day of England’s patriot saint.

But the latest population survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shows an average of 52.5% of people in our region said they identified as English.

That figure was even lower at just 43% across England.

Respondents can select as many options as they like from British, English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish or 'other'.

In Darlington, 50% of people said they identified as English last year – down from 61% in the year to June 2016, before the Brexit referendum.

A decade earlier, 60% of people identified as English, while it was 65% in 2004.

Similarly in County Durham, 55% said they were English, down from 63% in June 2016.

Sunder Katwala, director of the British Future think tank, which works to promote diversity and social inclusion, said: "People’s sense of Englishness ebbs and flows. You'll see a lot of England flags in June when the Three Lions are competing in the Euros, and then they'll disappear again.

"We could do a lot more to celebrate English identity outside of major sporting moments, in an inclusive way – flying the flag with pride and making sure everyone feels invited to the party on St George’s Day.

"Getting behind a shared English identity could help bring people together."

However, the Centre for English Identity and Politics at the University of Southampton, said the findings should be approached with caution.

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Its director, Professor John Denham, said many people only select one response, despite having "multiple identities".

He added the British social attitudes survey suggests there has been an increase in the numbers saying they are equally English and British, but a smaller rise in the numbers saying they are British rather than English.

In County Durham, 53% of respondents said they identified as British – below the national average of 57%. That figure was 61% in Darlington.