ST ANNES residents are getting ready to cash in on the British Open Golf Championship which gets under way next week.

The town is so short of parking space that homeowners are even renting out their drives to golf fans.

Over 40,000 people a day will flock to the resort. Now people near the course are considering charging up to £50 a day for the weeklong event for allowing their drives to be used.

Spectators are prepared to pay that amount knowing their vehicles will be safer from what will be a strict clamping and tow-away policy imposed throughout the town by traffic police and Fylde Borough Council during the tournament.

Meanwhile many other residents are geting away from it all at the expense of the golfers, the media circus and companies involved in the sport.

Detached houses are being rented out for up to £10,000 a time, allowing the owners to take a break abroad and still return a handsome profit.

However the Inland Revenue are warning that such earnings should be disclosed by tax-payers on their next self assessment forms and they should be prepared to pay tax on rental fees.

"It is no secret that we have been monitoring the golfing press and the Internet for details of homes to let for the Open," said an Inland Revenue spokesman.

"All unearned income should be disclosed to us."

One social club which has a balcony overlooking the ninth hole at Royal Lytham will have its first floor taken over for the tournament by a South African-based company specialising in corporate hospitality.

Members of the Ansdell Institute are getting a £20,000 windfall as a result.

HUNDREDS of hopefuls descended on St Annes Jobcentre for a shot at the 700 jobs on offer as revealed in The Citizen last week.

More than 200 people from all over the Fylde Coast and Preston came to the centre on St George's Road to meet with major employers who were there to recruit staff for the tournament which starts on July 15 until July 22. Jobs available included catering, bar staff, porters, hospitality, and security.

Stuart Smyth, Recruitment Manager at St Annes Jobcentre said that the response was excellent.

"People of all ages came along, all hoping to be part of one of the most famous sporting events in the world. There were about 30 people queueing at the door when we opened up at 10am," he said.

But many of the jobs still need to be filled. Anybody interested in working at the Open can call in to their local Jobcentre, or call Employment Service Direct on 0845 60 60 234.

Blackpool Helicentre, based at Blackpool airport, has just signed an agreement to be the exclusive helicopter and helipad operator for the Open for the next three years.

This means the Helicentre will be covering the event at Royal Lytham as well as for the next two championships at Muirfield 2002 and Royal St George's in 2003.

Robin Bell, championship assistant of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, which organises the championship, said: "The Helicentre had put together a very strong bid for the next three championships. This was further supported by the good work and excellent standards which the company has demonstrated for the past five years. In view of this, we are very pleased for the Helicentre to be the official operator for the championship for the next three years."