WELCOME guides will soon be on patrol in one of the region's coastal towns.

Every weekday the four guides, who wear distinctive blue uniforms, will be out and about in Redcar, east Cleveland, providing information about everything from local history to bus, train and tide times.

They are part of the Redcar Rennaissance Project, which aims to market the town and is funded by the West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget.

The recruits - Clare O'Connor, 27, Andrew Popple, 26, and 18-year-olds Emma Stokes and Jemma Mead - have been trained by project supervisor Patricia Hughes and are all guaranteed nine months work.

They have visited 400 shops and businesses in the town, and have enlisted the public's help with comments that will feature on panels along the Esplanade.

Ms Hughes said: "We hope it is a stepping stone to full-time employment. The scheme is a rolling programme, so at the end of the nine months, we will have four more new town guides.