HOLIDAYMAKERS are being encouraged to stick their noses into a guide book - quite literally.

The latest wheeze to encourage trippers to head for York includes the usual pictures and descriptions of all the city’s attractions.

But as an added incentive it takes things one step further - with each image infused with its associated scent.

The new guidebook, appropriately called Smell York, has been designed to take visitors on an olfactory odyssey around the city, adding a new dimension to the traditional sight-seeing trip.

It includes evocative scents of coal, steam and oil from the railways, horses at the racecourse, wild heather growing on the Moors and even the paranormal pong of bad eggs, associated York’s many ghosts.

There is also the luxury of chocolate, redolent of the confectionery industry, the whiff of afternoon tea with cream cakes and scones and the fresh bouquet of the city’s iconic daffodils.

The head of local tourism agency Visit York, Kate McMullen, said: “Countless scientific studies prove that the human sense of smell is one of the key facets in forming strong memories.

“We commissioned this scented guidebook to give potential newcomers to York a fun flavour of the many lasting memories that a trip to our historic city could provide.

“Indeed, whether you’ve got a soft spot for the scents of the supernatural or a craving for the nostril-nourishing aromas of the world’s greatest countryside, York has something for every nasal persuasion.”

A limited first-run of the aromatic guidebook has been produced and can be requested for free on a first-come, first-served basis by contacting info@visityork.org or from the Visit York Visitor Centre on Museum Street.

Based on its success and feedback from the public Visit York may look into producing the book in larger quantities.