IT seems that however tough life became for Keith Mulhearn, all roads led to Roam'in Tours of York.

With the bravery of a centurion, this single parent who had to abandon his job as a bricklayer to bring up his two little sons, has won through as an author and as a hugely-popular Roman-garbed leader of tourists around York.

Now, with shining breastplates, Keith faces the crucial challenge - to win the 2002 Evening Press Business of the Year competition.

His bid - entering both the Small Business of the Year and Business Personality of the Year categories - comes as he launches his latest venture from York's Roman Bath pub.

After weeks of tidying up artefacts and tiles using meticulous research and expert advice, Keith has turned the famous pub cellars from a casual curiosity into a genuine museum.

From last Friday it became the perfect launching point for Roam'in Tours' hour-long "Horrid History" walk through the city in the guise of centurion Maximus Gluteus on Fridays and Saturdays.

"Reverse those names and it's actually the muscle in the human haunch," says a twinkle-eyed Keith.

It proves that his sense of humour was un-crushed by his six years' struggle to raise Conor, now nine, and Danny, eight, at their home in Flaxton.

During the first two years he decided to combine his passion for York history with his ambition to write.

The result was that with the help of a friendly printer he published A Roam in York which has so far sold 3,000 copies.

He also wrote A Walk in Whitby, which he reckons by the end of this year will have sold about 2,000 copies, even though York is his first love.

As soon as the children were in nursery school he decided to try his hand at actual tour guiding.

"I would drop them off at the nursery in Strensall and I'd bike to York where once a week I would set up boards reading 'Tour here'.

"I charged £2 for a walk in the city centre incorporating the Shambles, the City walls, Museum Gardens, the Minster and Cliffords Tower.

"I learned more than I earned, and by the time the kids were at school I was ready to make a go of it."

In the hope of attracting group bookings, he invested in printing leaflets which he left at York's Tourist Information centres among other distribution points.

"I saved money, joined the York Tourism Bureau and then things started looking up when the Bureau received enthusiastic response from some of my clients.

"From then on, I was recommended and clients began to include firms' visiting VIPs. Every tour I do is bespoke," he says.

His Roman garb is no idle gimmick. "I wear a proper Roman tunic and even my Roman sandals are authentic - designed by the Barley Hall Trust in York.

The costume is dramatic enough to have attracted the attention of film crews - as well as serving to lure passing tourists into the spirit of the tour.

Now he is writing a new book on the Battle of Fulford "and the future is looking good," he says.

Updated: 09:01 Tuesday, July 16, 2002