YORK'S Town Crier John Redpath shouts it from the footplate - admission to the National Railway Museum is free from this weekend.

The Loyal Company of Town Criers visited York today to spread the news, and 14 of them - one for each year that the museum has charged admission - were attending today's special event.

The criers were shouting the news across the city from the rooftop balcony of Norwich Union's new riverside building. They were then parading through the streets of York to the Mansion House, for the presentation of gifts from their home cities to the Lord Mayor.

Free admission to the museum will begin on Saturday - it has been free to under-17s since 1999 and for the over-60s since last year.

"We are delighted to be able to open our doors completely free for all after 14 years of charging admission," said the head of the museum, Andrew Scott.

Updated: 10:44 Monday, November 26, 2001