The green fairy has arrived in Birmingham - by double decker bus.

Since its arrival in the UK in the 1990s, absinthe, nicknamed the green fairy, has become infamous with party-goers for its high alcohol quantity of about 70 per cent proof.

Now the man who brought the spirit to the UK market has come to show Brummies the upmarket side to the drink.

George Rowley, managing director of absinthe producer Green Utopia, has taken his green bus across the city to train bar staff to serve the liquor. It has also made a stop at Birmingham's Electric Cinema.

"Many people don't know the traditional way to drink absinthe," Mr Rowley said. "We wanted to show people in Birmingham the traditional ways of serving it."

In 19th century Paris the drink was popularly served with water poured into a glass through a sugar cube. Green Utopia, which produces the La Fee brand of absinthe, attempts to recreate the history of the drink using an original recipe obtained from the Paris Absinthe Museum.

Regular customers include Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marilyn Manson and artist Damien Hirst. Produced in France and the Czech Republic, Green Utopia is exported to a dozen countries.