City Dwellers, the caf society dedicated to making life more fun for the residents of York, has parcelled up its hopes for a brighter railway station and posted them off to GNER.

This latest project dreamed up by the City Dwellers, who meet in Cappucino's Caf in Church Street, involves sending a helium balloon to the rail company in the hope of encouraging it to revamp the station.

City Dweller's secretary Geoff Beacon said GNER would - Royal Mail permitting - be receiving the tissue-paper-wrapped balloon asking it to try out new ideas.

"We are testing the playfulness of institutions," said Geoff.

"With this idea we're going to see how much fun both GNER and Royal Mail are. "We'd like the station to be a more dynamic and lively place.

"And we also wanted to find out what was the biggest thing you could send through the post with a first-class stamp - a helium balloon was the favourite suggestion."

The plan to improve the station was inspired by fellow City Dweller Monika Szenkowska and her tales of the station in home town of Wroclaw, in Poland

"In Wroclaw the station is open 24 hours a day," said Monika. "It's a fantastic place with shops and cafes and bars - there is even a night club."

The Post Office's customer advice service agreed that helium balloons did not appear on its list of restricted items, which includes flammable gases, live animals and magnets, but said it would need to be properly wrapped in a secure container.

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