VISITORS to the historic town of Richmond can now take guided walks of the with the aid of specially-recorded handsets.

The audio guides to the town can be hired from the town’s tourist information centre and take in 16 sites of interest.

The guides were bought by the Richmond Swale Valley Community Initiative to help boost the visitor experience in the town.

Each handset – which cost £3 to hire - contains general information plus facts on 16 sites of historic and general interest in and around the town.

Following the route it outlines will take about 90 minutes, but alternative routes and additional pieces of historical information can extend and alter the walk.

Special one-off and free led walks can also be arranged for groups – they usually last around an hour and are tailored to meet specific interests and special needs.

A £1 Richmond Town Trail leaflet contains a detailed map of the town centre with a suggested self-guided town trail route. It also features information on the medieval, Georgian, past and present sides of Richmond.

*The tourist information centre is based on Victoria Road and can be contacted on 01748-828742.