WHILE on Parliament Street this morning, I spent a few moments observing the activities of the chewing gum blaster in action.

Food for thought: why does it take three able-bodied persons to operate this contraption? Only one was blasting, another was standing trying to look interested alongside the compressor type machine, while the third person just stood hands in pockets, occasionally removing hands to manipulate a cigarette, the butt of which ended up on the newly cleaned pavement. Hmmm.

Thought number two: with the many hundreds of offenders given "community service" orders in our city, could they not easily operate this blaster machine, thereby carrying out a really useful community service which alongside graffiti removal would benefit our community?

I realise that this would upset our union masters but can see no other objection. Indeed these tasks are performed regularly by such offenders in Germany and Austria and also I believe in the USA.

Charles Rushton,

Pasture Close,

Strensall,

York.

Updated: 10:55 Monday, June 28, 2004