A woman who has devoted almost 20 years to helping tourists in Preston is looking forward to a relaxing 2006 with her family after retiring in December.

Brenda Atkinson, 61, of Fulwood, worked behind the counter at the Tourist Information Centre, Lancaster Road, Preston, since it opened, 18 years ago.

Dozens of staff, customers and friends came to the busy centre to bid farewell to bubbly Brenda, who has become a familiar face to hundreds of people.

Grandmother-of-two, Brenda, played a large part in developing the centre and said the highest point of her career has been seeing how the service has expanded.

But she said the people were the most entertaining with different characters, some visiting her every day, dropping in to say, 'hello'. Requests have ranged from the weird to the wonderful for Brenda who has met Americans trying to trace their family history, and spoken to a man who called from outside a train station to ask for train times because he did not want to get out of his car as it was raining.

She said: "We get emails from all over the world. Americans make me giggle, asking where Tulketh Castle is because they think their ancestors lived there. The castle does not even exist!

"We even had one family who were convinced they were linked to the De Hoghton family at Hoghton Tower. I had to explain that I'm pretty sure they would know if they were family because the De Hoghton's were still alive and well."

Prestonian Brenda, a volunteer guide at the Harris Museum, now plans to spend more time with husband, Michael, grown-up children, Nick and Joanne, and grandchildren, Juliette, three, and Grace, six.