Pancake Day is at an earlier date this year compared to last - find out when you need to stock up on milk, eggs and flour.

Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday so the date varies each year.

This year Pancake Day will be on February 13 - a day before Valentines Day.

Pancake Day is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

Lent is the 40 days leading up to Easter which is a time of fasting.

Traditionally the fasting does not see people go completely without food, but instead they will give up luxury foods or things which might be considered treats.

The pancake ingredients are said to symbolise the four pillars of the Christian faith: eggs for creation, flour for the human diet, salt for wholesomeness and milk for purity.

We eat pancakes on this day because traditionally it was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.