Today marks the Spring Bank Holiday across the UK, a day when many will enjoy a well-deserved break from work.

Bank holidays have been a fixture in British life since 1871, when they were formally recognised by an Act of Parliament.

The name stems from the original purpose of these holidays - days when banks were permitted to close.

Soon after, other businesses and schools began following suit.

The UK has one of the lowest numbers of public holidays globally, with just eight bank holidays compared to Nepal, which enjoys as many as 35 per year.

While the four nations of the UK share some bank holidays, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different ones to England and Wales.

In 2023, the UK enjoyed an additional bank holiday to celebrate King Charles III's Coronation.