IN your report on the 'bus strike' (Strikers picket on War Memorial, September 2), you say that the Station Rise First World War Memorial is owned by the British Railways Board, and maintained by Rail Property Ltd.

Unfortunately the latter has evidently not been doing its job properly because many of the names are so weathered as to be almost illegible; unless they are re-cut soon, they will be lost altogether.

The names of these poor men are all we have, and those who have been entrusted with their care have an absolute duty to preserve them.

It is unacceptable for war memorials to suffer any neglect at all, and for this one to have been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent is shameful.

I hope that both the British Railways Board and Rail Property Ltd will take note, put these repairs in hand immediately, and undertake to ensure that in future they give their memorial the respect which it deserves.

Anne Layram,

Trafalgar Street,

South Bank,

York.

Updated: 11:53 Tuesday, September 16, 2003