YORK'S Roman centurion has found his sidekick after an appeal in The Press for an assistant to come forward.

Keith Mulhearn, of Roamin' Tours, also known as Maximus Gluteus, put out a plea for a Minimus to work with his tour guide business.

The job advert for the would-be Roman legionary said the new recruit must be good with children, be a storyteller and have an interest in the Empire, although a suit of armour was not required.

Since then, Keith has been inundated with responses and said whittling down the 15 contenders made him feel like judge on a TV talent show.

He said: "It has been fantastic. It has been a massive success.

"It is almost like being a judge on The X Factor, but I was very tactful and did my Simon Cowell bit very nicely."

When he made his plea, Keith said he thought it would be a challenge to find a bona fide legionary to entertain and help schoolchildren learn.

But he now expects to have found his perfect number two by Saturday.

"I have whittled it down to six people and I am 100 per cent confident two of them are perfect for the job," he said.

"I did not expect to find that person so easily but, thankfully, I have managed to do it through this appeal.

"I am going to make my final decision on Saturday."

Keith said the appeal had also boosted the city's Roman Festival, which he founded in 2003, by encouraging interest in re-enactment.

He said: "The good thing is some of the people who saw the story just wanted to be a Roman, not a tour guide.

"Because I am involved with the Roman Festival, I have been able to say: Come along and help'."

Keith is also behind the Battle Of Fulford Festival and will launch the first Yorkshire Pudding Festival, celebrating the famous dish, in August.