01/05/2008 09:25:00
Welsh tourism has received an unexpected boost from a website that allows people to upload their own videos on life in Wales.
The Wrexham-based site, Screen Wales, was set up three months ago and follows a similar premise to the online video sharing YouTube, according to the BBC.
Kevin Smith, one of the co-founders of the company Screen Icon Ltd who runs the website, told the broadcaster that the main purpose of the site was to create a forum in which communities, councils and businesses in Wales could promote events and share videos of interest for free.
To date, Screen Wales offers footage of an array of historical incidents - such as the Cardiff floods and an Easter parade in Newport, both from the 1960s - and promotional videos from councils around Wales.
Other unique footage includes a film taken of Rhyl in North Wales that dates back to the 1930s.
Mr Smith told the BBC: "At the moment it's early days and we have got a lot of footage from Wrexham.
"But we hope that as the word spreads, more people will use it. There's so much material out there and it gives people a platform to show interesting footage not just to people in Wales but all over the world."
Recent Welsh events that have been promoted on Screen Wales include the Wrexham Science Festival and the upcoming Llandudno Victorian Festival.
In a related development, Screen Icon Ltd launched Screen Chester at the end of April, which appears to follow largely the same format as Screen Wales.