The first female bishop of a diocese will join thousands on a pilgrimage through the streets of St Albans.

Rt Rev Rachel Treweek, who became Bishop of Gloucester in 2015, will join in on the Alban Pilgrimage 2017, a walk through the city centre which tells the story of Alban, the first saint of Great Britain.

The Alban Pilgrimage take place every year and features 12-foot carnival puppets alongside around 300 children and young people dramatising the tale of St Alban’s martyrdom, with the final scene taking place at the west end of St Albans Cathedral.

Bishop Rachel said: “I am greatly looking forward to preaching at the Alban Pilgrimage Festival Eucharist and experiencing this special and historic occasion.”

The bishop will preach at the festival eucharist service immediately after the procession at the cathedral.

The cathedral will also welcome the dean of Christ Church College, Oxford, the Very Rev Professor Martyn Percy, who will preach at the evensong service after the march.

He said: “Having grown up attending the Alban Pilgrimage as a member of my church youth group in Chorleywood, I am delighted to be returning to preach at Evensong on this special day.”

St Alban died on June 22 more than 1,700 years ago, and was executed after giving shelter to a persecuted Christian priest.

Alban became a Christian after being moved by the priest’s faith, and the two swapped their cloaks so the priest could escape, but Alban was then caught, tried and executed on the hill where St Albans Cathedral now stands.

The pilgrimage is part of the Alban Weekend, which marks more than 2,000 years of history and heritage in the city.

The Alban Pilgrimage starts at 11am at St Peter’s Church, after which two special services will take place at the cathedral Eucharist at 12noon and Festival Evensong at 4pm.