Image: How the new-look tourism signs could look

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced details of a pilot initiative to overhaul county boundary signs as part of wider efforts to boost UK tourism following the 2012 Games.

Main routes into six counties - Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Norfolk and North Yorkshire - will benefit from the introduction of "colourful and striking" signage.

The £2m pilot is being run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with the Department for Transport. New signs will be installed next spring.

Hunt said: "We need to update signs to something that is both attractive and better at selling what it great about our tourist destinations.

"Counties will be able to highlight the things that make them special, whether it's cultural or heritage attractions, or an activity that is special to the area."

The government has also confirmed that it is looking to enhance traditional brown tourist signs, with a new focus on "genuine tourist attractions".

Details: www.culture.gov.uk