A YORK farmer is taking the phenomenon of crop circles one step further - by creating his own maze from maize.

Tom Pearcy, 31, who runs Ox-Close Farm in Heslington, is hoping to attract tourists to his arable farm by creating the ten-acre maze in time for summer next year.

Mr Pearcy, who has lived on the family farm since childhood, has also joined York Tourism Bureau in an effort to make the venture as successful as possible.

He said the maze, which will include three-and-a-half miles of pathways, would be the first of its type in the north of the country and would be a draw for people visiting York.

And he is considering a Viking theme so that from the air the maze resembles the outline of a Viking head.

Mr Pearcy said: "There's a good tourist market here that is crying out for something different.

"Farming is not really going anywhere, it's in the doldrums and this is something different to do.

"It's time-consuming to create the pattern into the crop, and it's quite labour-intensive with a lot of marking out. That's where the skill comes in.

"But from the air you want it to be an image of something.

"You can do them just as an interesting pattern, but I was looking to do it on a theme.

"If it is successful, the crop will be harvested and fed to some cattle. Then I'll start again the following year in the same place.

"I may think about doing other similar things.

"It's one of those suck-it-and-see things, but I don't intend it to be a half-hearted adventure play ground.

"I'm putting a lot of money into it, and I'm really going to try and make it something worthwhile.

"I want it to be one of the more interesting tourist attractions in York, rather than a farmer's side show. I want to make it something spectacular."

A spokeswoman for the York Tourism Bureau, said: "Obviously farmers have had a very difficult time, and a lot of farmers diversify into tourism as well as working on their farm.

"Tourism and farming are coming together more and more and we thought this was a very exciting project.

"Anything that is going to bring an exciting attraction to the city is going to be of benefit, and we wish Mr Pearcy all the best."

The maize will be planted in April or May by a specialist, and the maze is due to open in June or July, depending on the weather.

To find out more, visit www.yorkmaze.co.uk.

Updated: 11:49 Tuesday, October 16, 2001