PROMPTED by our concern about the lack of funding for a statue of George Hudson, William Dixon Smith has hit upon the perfect answer.

A full-size stone figure is expensive. So why not follow the example of the Romans and create a statue with a detachable head?

"Changes were made according to who had the most clout," Mr Dixon Smith, of Acomb, York, tells the Diary. "Why not revive this pragmatic and economical tradition?

"I see no reason why candidature for the honour should be restricted to murderers, terrorists, horse thieves or swindlers.

"Residents could vote for their favourite local politician, even if their candidate did not fall within those categories."

His idea chimes neatly with the legend that a previous statue of George Hudson had its head lopped off after his fall from grace. The Railway King's likeness, so the story goes, was replaced with that of his arch rival George Leeman.

Why not make this an official arrangement? Then when we get bored of Hudson, we could replace his whiskery features with those of, say, Judi Dench or Rick Witter.

Incidentally, Mr Dixon Smith contests our suggestion that the nose of York's Queen Victoria statue fell off. "It was knocked off. Your misrepresentation does scant justice to the diligence of our local vandals," he said. Check out his Friends of York Art Gallery website: www.yortime.org.uk/artalk/

YOU expect some good gossip from a bar called Rumours, and manager Simon Craig has come up with the goods.

Turns out that a well-known character from the world of entertainment popped into the Micklegate bar, but was after more than a drink and good Yorkshire company.

"He asked for a pint of bitter," said Simon. "And then he asked, 'Do you know where I can get any charlie from?'."

Charlie, for readers who don't watch The Bill, is slang for cocaine.

Simon poured his customer a pint but said he could not help out with his other request.

The performer, who we cannot name for fear of being hauled before the libel courts, chatted politely while he drank his beer then disappeared into the York night, presumably to resume his search. All together: there's no business like snow business...

BILLY the bin man is back in touch with more inside info on York's troubled refuse collection. The city council, he says, "have not thought it through and don't really know what goes on with the lads who have to tackle this huge task.

"The green waste does cease to operate mid-November till after the Christmas period. But we have been asked by management to take all the extra refuse from around the grey bins till further notice.

"After that we collect as normal and leave the loose refuse and just take the bin. Once again residents will kick up a fuss. Then what?"

This "mad management" could have been avoided, if "us bin men had been consulted first".

YORK does not have a representative in the jungle this year.

For weeks, comedy duo Cannon & Ball were tipped as contestants in ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Yesterday, the full line-up was revealed. And neither our Tommy, who lives close to the city, or his braces-stretching partner Bobby, are in it.

Turns out that it was all hype, as Tommy had long protested to the Diary. So he will live the rest of his life never knowing what kangaroo testicles taste like.

Updated: 08:44 Thursday, November 17, 2005