Tourist chiefs have unveiled their new logo to attract visitors to Winchester - and city emblem King Alfred the Great is nowhere to be seen.

Earlier this year the Daily Echo revealed that the man who united England and rebuilt the city after it was destroyed in the Dark Ages was to be been axed from all tourist brochures

Now he has been replaced by a pun - Explore Every Winchester.

City tourism chiefs say the change was needed after ten years of using the same logo - an outline sketch of Alfred's statue which stands at the bottom of The Broadway.

The new look for Winchester was unveiled at a

special ceremony for the newly published Visitor Guide 2004, though some people have questioned the decision to ditch the well-known royal image.

Keith Story, chairman of the Winchester Meadows Conservation Trust, said: "People visit Winchester for the history and the medieval architecture, which is what makes it one of the most special cities in England.

"Winchester was England's capital and Alfred made it that. He helped forge this city and that fact shouldn't be ignored.

"There's no other former capital of England and Alfred and his legacy should always be pre-eminent in any presentation of Winchester to the outside world. I know of no tourist who would come here for anything other than Winchester's history."

Professor Tom James, who has just published a book called The Story of England, which tells of the important role of King Alfred in this country's history, was also saddened by the decision. He said: "It seems a great pity to lose the image of King Alfred, perhaps the first real King of England and the personification of Winchester's role as this country's ancient capital."

Winchester City Council stresses that the new guide has been designed to highlight the whole of the Winchester district - not just the city.

Bosses felt the old-style logo was too tied to the city, and didn't encapsulate all the area had to offer.

Headings in the new guide - which will be sent out across both Britain and the world - include everything from historic guides to fine food and shopping.

Karen Brazier, tourism marketing manager, said: "We are very pleased with it.

"It's been a long time in the making, and I think we now have a guide that accurately reflects both Winchester and the district around it.

"I think the thing to remember about this is that the key was to find a new colourful design approach to the city's whole marketing strategy, and this new guide does that very well."