Man-oh-man! It's an atomic European au pair.

Family Au Pair, a new business based in Precentors Court, next to York Minster, has employed its first male au pair.

Milos, 26, from the Czech Republic, flew in at owner Dr Karin von Bizmarck's request to help out Jackie Black and her husband, Philip, who find it hard looking after their three children at their home in Haxby Road, York, during school holidays.

It's no problem for Milos, known as the "atomic man", because after leaving training school and the Czech army, he worked as an engineer at a nuclear power station in Temelin, Bohemia. He spent some months staying with friends in the US and on a working visa later touring as a freelance painter and decorator.

On returning home, he made himself useful by looking after his three nieces and so enjoyed it that he sought out an agency to apply to be an au pair. Karin was contacted and the deal was done.

The Blacks work from early morning at their sandwich bar and deli at the Tower Street Pantry in Tower Street, York, so when Milos takes over looking after Alex, ten, Ben, 11 and Rebecca, seven, it's a huge help.

The fact that Milos is struggling with his English is no real handicap as far as the children are concerned.

Jackie said: "He's lovely. He makes them laugh and that's the main thing. Besides, he does light housework like vacuuming the living room, does the washing up and is good at gardening - and he makes the children a mean bacon sandwich for lunch!"

Jackie, co-incidentally, happens to be a teacher of English as a foreign language and has promised Milos a couple of hours each week to improve on his grammar and fluency.

Karin, whose doctorate in business studies was gained at Goettingen University, near Hanover, set up the au pair agency after joining her husband, Michael Ulrich, head of the new Product Technology Centre for Nestl, in York, with their four young children.

She said: "I have always used au pairs as a full-time working mother and having experienced German agencies, I found that the service offered in Britain was poor. I decided to turn my difficulties into advantage and set up my own agency.

"It's unusual to offer clients male au pairs and Milos is my first client since starting, but I have personally had male au pairs and they are out there kicking footballs and having fun with the children in a way that female au pairs don't. Not that they're better...just different."

Like other au pairs, Milos does not get a wage. He earns £45 a week pocket money, but gets free board and lodging and a taste of Yorkshire family life, culture and language.

But Milos has his own contribution to culture. Jackie Black said: "He is a very good masseur and as he's a bit of a hunk, there are girls queuing to be practised on."

Updated: 09:38 Tuesday, April 22, 2003