LOST your friends? Had too much to drink? Fallen out with your boyfriend?

Sounds like a job for a York nightclub's newest recruits - the Christian bouncers.

Members of the York Youth for Christ (YYC) team have been hired by Ikon & Diva, in Clifton Moor, to improve safety in the venue by offering pastoral support.

The "pastoral assistants" wear special T-shirts and badges and patrol the club every Friday and Saturday night, offering practical help or someone to talk to.

Anna Honeysett, director of the team, said they had modelled the initiative on a similar scheme in Norwich.

"We're there to offer support to people," Anna told the Evening Press.

"It's worked really well in Norwich for the last 13 years. Our main job is to walk around the club and listen and talk to clubbers when they want us to. We don't interfere. We also regularly check the toilets to make sure there are no problems and just be a friendly face."

The club's general manager, Phil Hallam, said: "Having used them successfully in Norwich before, I felt that using them in York at Ikon & Diva would be another factor to providing a happy and safe environment for our customers."

Updated: 11:11 Wednesday, April 09, 2003