IT'S a new craze sweeping York - and a rubbery time is had by all.

Yes, it's the great rubber band hunt! Turns out that Adele Hartley of Troutsdale Avenue is not the only one to organise a regular forage for bands discarded by posties (Diary, April 13).

"How weird, we too live in Rawcliffe, and it was only last Saturday morning, during a walk down to the newsagents on Shipton Road, that my two children made a competition of collecting as many bands as they could find," writes Naomi Inman.

"Our grand total was nearly 40! My children are six and nine years of age. They have been hunting the bands in our street for several weeks now and regularly come home with about ten.

"They wear them as an alternative to the charity bands.

"We also consider the discarded bands a waste of resources and litter issue. Our postie says it's because they pop off the mail as he gets it out of his bag.

"Presumably time is of the essence during his round and so he hasn't got time to stop and pick the bands up."

"Yes!" enthuses Caroline Fox. " I picked up 12 recently over a few feet of pavement between the end of Water End and the Shipton Road, as it leaves York.

"One of 'mine' now embraces the whole of a Tesco 'saver' box of washing powder (to keep the lid closed - a very inefficient newer design of container!) and shows no sign yet of snapping in my face.

"However, like Mrs Hartley, I'd rather the Royal Mail saved their money."

Neville Meek tells the Diary that he and his wife regularly retrieve the abandoned elastic. They live in Galtres Avenue and managed to amass 15 bands on one trip down their own side of the street.

"In today's world when Government departments are encouraging householders to recycle it would appear that no one has told the Post Office about recycling. Would a campaign by the media be the answer?" he asks.

And then, a courteous conclusion. "I would like to thank the Post Office for keeping us and our family supplied with very good quality elastic bands."

THIS couple of fly-by-nights were spotted by our photographer Garry Atkinson trying to evade the law. The old greylags made a waddle for it outside York Crown Court, nearly causing a fowl-up. Officer and birds exchanged honks. The geese were then cautioned that if they didn't reform they would be subject to an ASBO -

A Scrumptious Bird Oven-roasted.

Updated: 09:27 Monday, April 18, 2005