A POPULAR tourist attraction in Oxford has welcomed a new general manager to the team, ready for its 10th anniversary year in 2016.

Lauren Rhodes has joined Oxford Castle Unlocked and has already hit the ground running.

She moved to the castle from Historic Royal Palaces where she built her tourism experience as a visitor services team leader at Hampton Court Palace.

During the short period she has been in her new post, Ms Rhodes has already been accepted as a member of the Oxford Museums Council Executive Committee.

Ms Rhodes said: "It’s a really exciting time to be joining the team at Oxford Castle Unlocked, as we look ahead to our 10th anniversary next year.

"So many important moments have happened at the castle spanning 1,000 years of local and national history, and I am honoured to be working to share this fascinating story with our guests."

Originally from East London, the new general manager is currently studying for a masters degree in heritage management at the University of Birmingham’s Ironbridge Institute, having successfully graduated with a degree in law with history at the University of Edinburgh in 2011.

She has also completed the commercial management graduate scheme at Marks and Spencer, gaining business management skills before she moved into tourism at Hampton Court Palace.

Oxford Castle Unlocked, based in the city centre, is a 1,000-year-old castle which also served time as a prison for 800 years.

Visitors are invited to join a costumed character tour guide to explore the historic buildings and the stories behind them.