I HAVE in my possession a video on 'The History of Lendal Cellars' given to me by one of the staff.

Also included is The Mansion House and St Helen's Square and in the background is that wonderful sound of Les, 'Press, Press...' as only he could pronounce it.

I came to York in 1954 to train as a nursery nurse at the Glen Nursery in Heworth and I've never known York without Les.

Although he is no longer with us, I can put on my video, close my eyes and be back in the 'good old days'.

Streets are streets, but Les was York.

Ivy Eden,

Pinewood Grove,

Huntington, York.

...I HAVE many memories of Les, I still have not fully adjusted to the fact that he will never again be seen on his regular pitch. But in particular I remember crossing St Helen's Square during the harsher winters of the 1980s and as thick snow swirled and fell, Les would stand immobile whilst snow would settle on him. You feared for him until his familiar call of "press" rang out.

On these occasions you would sort the money out for him, take your paper and receive your "thank you sir" or "thank you lady". I would often take a few moments over the transaction just to be in his company. Les created the dream job, watching whole generations of us come and go through this beautiful city whilst seeing in, and out, the war, the "never had it so good" fifties, rock and roll, the swirl of the sixties, whole decades of social change.

As far as I know, I have the last press Les ever sold as well as his "last press of the 20th century". They will always remind me of him.

Jonathan Charles Bonner,

Huntington Road, York.

Updated: 10:15 Monday, March 10, 2003