HAVE a nice day now! Birkenhead's new blue-coated town guides hit the streets this week. The ten smartly dressed town guides were unemployed but are now employed to give a friendly, helpful view of Birkenhead from Woodside to the town centre. They will act as an information service for tourists and locals alike.

Town Guide Service Manager David Dickinson said that the Birkenhead scheme is a pilot one. Other guides may operate in Wirral including Wallasey town centre and New Brighton.

"The guides have undergone an intensive four week training course covering leisure and tourism, customer services and disability awareness. They have also had police training in conflict, just in case of any bother," said Mr Dickinson.

Lynn Lees from the Safer Merseyside Partnership, helping to fund the scheme, said: "The guides will give help and advice and also make people feel safer and more secure in Birkenhead "

Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes said: "These guides will give a great impression to first time visitors to Birkenhead who will get a friendly greeting."

All the Town Centre Guides were formerly long-term unemployed.

Town Guide Tony Roberts said: "We have all been trained on a four week course that was smashing but very intensive. We are all very enthusiastic and proud to be ambassadors for Birkenhead."

Fellow Guide Oliver Seymour said: "We all have a good knowledge of local history and know the area well. We will be providing an essential service for visitors."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.