Soon he was guiding new students around the main attractions and exploring the characters and stories which shaped Bristol’s past.

James’ hobby proved so popular that the tours are now open to the public, who can enjoy a free tour from 11am each Saturday, beginning outside the Marriott Hotel on College Green.

And with Freshers’ Week beginning today [1 October], the team from Walking Bristol are going to be offering tours to many of the student halls and will be available for private bookings.

James, 21, said: “When I first started at Bristol University I wanted to go on a tour which would act as an introduction to the city and tell me some of the stories associated with it but no such thing existed. I had been on ones elsewhere in Europe and felt that Bristol’s rich and vibrant history lent itself to something similar, so I began to research some of the fascinating and unusual tales for myself.

“It grew from there really and I started to do the tour for new students as way of letting them know that they’ve picked a great city as well as a great university to study in. It’s been amazing to see the tours grow in popularity and we’ve had a range of people come along, of all ages and from various places around the world.”

Walking Bristol’s tour lasts three hours and takes in places such as Park Street, St Nick’s Market, Welsh Back and Castle Park, telling stories about pirates, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the legacy of the slave trade and the story of John Cabot. The tour stops for lunch at Pieminister, a more recent addition to the Bristol story.

The tours are free and there’s no need to sign-up in advance but it’s advisable to double-check the dates online: www.walkingbristol.com

• James is looking for other students to join him as a tour guide. They must be passionate about Bristol and prepared to commit to at least one Saturday a month.