IT is the extra day that comes around just once every four years.

February 29 marks a leap year and because the day itself is out of the ordinary, tradition says the conventional can be overturned for 24 hours.

Traditionally women can break tradition and propose.

But this year, whether a wedding is on the cards or not, the Daily Echo is urging people across the county to seize the day by doing something worthwhile with the extra hours.

You could improve your health by starting that diet, giving up smoking or join the gym.

Leap Year

The modern calendar counts a year as 365 days but a complete revolution around the sun takes about 365 days and 6 hours.

That means every four years an extra twenty four hours have accumulated so one extra day is added to the calendar to keep the count coordinated with the sun’s position.

• Have you got something special planned to mark February 29.

Let us know by contacting Tara Russell at the Daily Echo on 023 80424495 or email tara.russell@dailyecho.co.uk

Or make the day much more memorable by trying something a bit more daring like skydiving or bungee jumping.

The list is endless, but according to Hampshire life coach Karen Morley there is no better time to start than February 29.

She said the once every four years date could be good for taking stock and kickstarting the rest of your life.

The life coach, from Cadnam, who has 21 years’ experience, said: “One of the things I would say is that it is easy to let life drift on so having a date like February 29 gives you something firm to focus on.”

Karen, of Better Life Coaching, added: “It gives you time before to sit down and look at the whole of your life from work to relationships to your personal life to see which elements of it you are happy with and those you are not.

“Use February 29 as a date for you – a day when anything is possible.”