HUNDREDS of cruise ships tourists are shunning organised excursions elsewhere to flock to an historic Greenock church.

And a Greenock-born German speaker was on hand to help welcome some of the passengers who have been heading to St John’s Episcopal Church.

Liz Wilson Scholtyshek, who was baptised at St John’s, stepped in to chat to people visiting from Mein Schiff.

The retired factory worker has lived in Paderborn in Germany for more than 40 years but is currently back in town to visit family.

Liz, who chatted with couple Walter and Dora Krause, pictured, from Rostock, said: “The visitors liked the architecture of the church and the stained glass windows.

“They enjoyed being able to have a conversation with me.”

The church on Union Street can welcome hundreds of overseas visitors during summer and opens between 10am and noon on all cruise call days.

A team of guides from the congregation volunteer to show people around.

There are also leaflets available in different languages giving information about the church, which dates back to 1878.

Church member June Campbell, who oversees the project, says it has been a big success.

She said: “We’ve been really busy and the church is very much appreciated by visitors.

“We had one Lutheran minister who came in one day and said ‘this is a real church’.”

The visitors’ book bears the signatures of people from all over the world including cities such as Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Nashville, Quebec and Las Vegas.

Guide Ian Milne said: “Over a season we can have 400 visitors and we have staff from the cruise ships coming in as well.

“One couple’s friend had died and they couldn’t go to the funeral, so on the day it was taking place they came into the church and sat to remember their friend.”