NEWLY-appointed tourism boss Jeremy Reed has been handed the daunting task of taking charge of more than 2,000 years of the region's heritage.

Mr Reed has been appointed as the assistant director of visitor operations for English Heritage in Yorkshire, which oversees the maintenance of a number of historic sites in the North-East.

The 43-year-old from Pickering will now oversee 15 staffed sites and 33 free properties, including Richmond Castle, Whitby Abbey, Scarborough Castle and Brodsworth Hall, near Doncaster.

Together, they attract nearly 700,000 visitors and net £2m in revenue, as well as being a tourism asset to the region.

Mr Reed, who once worked as a hotel manager in San Diego, US, said: "The quality of life in Yorkshire is so much higher and it's wonderful, almost inspirational, to work with such magnificent properties.

"But of course there are major challenges.

"We have ambitious plans to upgrade visitor facilities at Helmsley Castle, Mount Grace Priory and Clifford's Tower.

"I'll be focused entirely on providing visitors with a high quality and enjoyable experience at our sites."