Hard days for Knight’s former publicity chief

SIR Paul McCartney’s former publicity chief has been reduced to sweeping the streets – in Lyme Regis.

Locally born Geoff Baker, one time close friend of the multi-millionaire former Beatle, admits that, on the face of it, he’s hit “rock bottom”.

But he’s hoping to clean up with his new venture – charging visitors to accompany him on his voluntary road sweeping duties.

Mr Baker, 54, will be giving them talks on ‘unusual’ aspects of Lyme’s history while he sweeps up.

He’s calling it “Lyme’s Littery Tours”.

After four years unemployed he says he is embracing the Coalition Government’s plan to make the jobless sweep the streets.

He said: “I want to make it clear that I am not claiming any handouts or benefits whatsoever and I hope that I never have to.

“But I am one of the long-term unemployed who has been without an income for four years. I heard of the Government’s new proposals and I thought it might provide me with a job opportunity whilst doing something of service for the community of the town where I was born and raised.”

Mr Baker admits that street sweeping is a long fall from his previous job as the PR and friend of Sir Paul McCartney, with whom he worked for 15 years until 2004.

He added: “On the face of it, Lyme Littery Tours looks like I’ve hit rock bottom.

“Maybe I have, in which case it might be handy that I am hoping to get the money together to self-publish my novel Rock Bottom, which is a bit of a romp about the music business and is set in Lyme.”

Mr Baker said he will now approach the town council for permission to start his guided tours, for which he will charge visitors “a reasonable fee”.