SO nice to see Mr Blair honouring the 'heroes' of the York floods with a reception at Number Ten. Perhaps he could arrange something similar for the 'heroes' who were involved with the Rawcliffe area of York (maybe a pack-up lunch for one).

The only heroes we in Rawcliffe saw during the crisis were two council officials who bravely drove a four wheel, all-terrain vehicle down flooded Rawcliffe Croft without a thought for their own safety on the morning after the floods had peaked. Such heroism.

The real heroes of the day were the people of Rawcliffe, many of whom were elderly and infirm and were left to their own devices without even the luxury of liaison with agencies dealing with the emergency.

The residents of Rawcliffe were subject to appalling conditions for many hours without help, advice, or recognition.

While appreciating that a number of unpaid, altruistic volunteers helped in York during the floods, I would suggest that a large number of the 'heroes' (police, Army, council officials) were people who were carrying out their duties as set out in their job descriptions, and were being paid to do so.

Before Mr Blair and the agencies involved dislocate their shoulders patting themselves on the back, they should visit the bombsite that is now Rawcliffe and hang their heads in embarrassment if not shame.

Brian Taylor,

Rawcliffe Croft,

Shipton Road, York.

Updated: 12:10 Wednesday, January 24, 2001