THE MAN who once made a million women's hearts flutter was on hand at Newport's Riverside Centre on Pancake Day to help launch a disabled access project.

Tony Adams, who plays Adam Chance in the recently revived soap Crossroads helped to launch the "Raison D'etre" project on Shrove Tuesday, March 4.

The project will provide free disability access reports to more than 70 Isle of Wight tourist organisations. The reports will give the hotels and attractions an insight into how they are perceived for access and friendliness by disabled visitors.

Guests at the launch event included leader of the Isle of Wight Council Councillor Shirley Smart, hoteliers, social services operations manager James Lowe and representatives from the employment services.

Project manager Angela Guille said: "The Island-wide project will help the local tourist industry identify opportunities, improve access and increase disability equality on the Island."

She added: "It is really exciting for the Island to be leading the way with this project, particularly in the European Year of the Disabled."

Tony Adams added: "I am delighted to be involved in this launch and I am sure that it will make a real difference and prove a real value to the development of tourism on the Isle of Wight."