YORK town crier John Redpath has joined the ranks of jetsetters, film stars and aristocrats with an appearance in society magazine Hello!

His full-page colour photograph appears in an issue with the likes of Bond girl Teri Hatcher, Russian count Andrei Ananov, Sylvester Stallone, Claudia Schiffer and Ivana Trump.

John, 51, earned his place among the glitterati through a visit to York by Prince Andrew earlier this month.

"I had no idea I was going to be in but I am really pleased," he said.

"I was in town and a lady said, 'You have gone up in the world, John. You're in Hello!' Within hours 10 people told me they'd seen it."

The photograph shows John greeting Prince Andrew outside the Mansion House in St Helen's Square. It was their fifth meeting.

"He came over and said, 'Here he is again ringing that bell!' He asked me how I was and wished me Happy New Year," said John.

After seven years of greeting dignitaries, promoting theatre shows and attending civic functions John, who is self-employed, is used to being pictured in newspapers and magazines.

With tricorn hat, blue breeches and brass bell he has appeared in publications as diverse as the Big Issue and over-60 magazines Yours.John's appearance in Hello! coincided perfectly with his 25th wedding anniversary this week.

He is married to childhood sweetheart Gillian. The couple were classmates at the former Danesmead School in Fulford Road, and live in Finsbury Street, off Bishopthorpe Road

Gillian said: "We are very quiet people and we aren't making a big thing out of it"

But do they fear the Hello! curse - real or imagined - that says the marriages of couples appearing in the glossy magazine soon hit the rocks?

"One of the reasons we have lasted 25 years is we have lots of friends. We keep our lives separate from my work as the town crier," said John.

Looking to the future, he says: "I want to travel more to promote York all over the world."

Following his Hello! appearance, John is hoping to keep up high society appearances by replacing his ageing town crier's outfit. Being the only self-employed crier in Britain he is hoping to attract a sponsor for his new wardrobe. Anyone who can help should give him a bell on York 634998.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.