SHOPPERS in Darlington could soon be welcomed by a uniformed town ranger who will give directions, rescue lost children and hand out information.

The ranger, complete with an identifying baseball cap, could be made a permanent fixture in the town after a trial run earlier this year.

Town centre managers are hopeful that Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) money will fund the ranger's new fixed-term contract.

The scheme is aimed at making shopping in the town centre more appealing for visitors, by welcoming them and helping to keep the area clean and attractive.

Lost children will be reunited with their parents, and information leaflets, including an A to Z of shops and facilities, will be given out to visitors by the ranger.

Although the post will have no official enforcement duties, the ranger will be equipped with a radio and mobile phone to alert the police or the town's uniformed wardens in the event of graffiti, criminal activity or major parking problems.

During the trial period, the ranger worked with Darlington Association on Disability to produce a map for disabled people, showing updated wheelchair access in the town.

He also spent time with the tourist information service where he learnt about the range of advice available to customers coming into the town centre.

Louise Payne, town centre manager, said: "We are making some headway in finding a town centre ranger. It would be the caretaking element and making people feel welcome in the town which would be the ranger's most important duties.

"We think we may have found some funding through SRB, which will enable us to employ someone on a fixed- term basis to concentrate on the town at key times.

"We got a lot of very positive feedback during the trial. We have already set up the structures for this and we are ready to go."

Town centre officials are also looking at the possibility of introducing wardens full-time, with some powers of enforcement, including fines for dog fouling.