MANCHESTER City's former head of communications is to help Bell Pottinger North kick off a new sports division.

Paul Tyrrell initially forged a working relationship with staff at the Macclesfield agency when he was working at the City of Manchester Stadium and it looked after the personal public relations account for former owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Tyrrell left Manchester City by mutual consent with a reported £100,000 pay-off and has launched the Runcorn-based Paul Tyrrell Media Company.

His clients include former Manchester City shareholder John Wardle.

He will now also work as a consultant with Bell Pottinger North, which is bidding to build a specialist sports publicity and marketing arm within the Bell Pottinger network.

Talented

John Butters, director with Bell Pottinger North, said that Mr Tyrrell is one of the most experienced and talented PR operators in the sports business and that he had been impressed by their dealings at Manchester City.

"We are extremely excited about working with Paul," Mr Butters added. "Paul knows how clubs operate and is connected to the major players in the business. We already have some interesting opportunities to work on together."

Mr Tyrrell, a former PR chief of ITV Sport, left Manchester City in October. He had worked with the club for five years.

Speaking about his exclusive consultancy role, Mr Tyrrell said: "There is a great opportunity here - no one else in the north west has a dedicated sports practice.

"There is so much work to be done - not only with high profile football teams but also with small clubs and to support major sponsors."