MAY 24 was to be the climax of a short holiday to celebrate my 72nd birthday.

My wife saved sufficient cash to make the trip in our ten-year-old car to travel firstly to Surrey to visit friends, and then on the way back to spend a couple of days in York, a city I had longed to visit.

On the Tuesday morning, we travelled on the city tour bus, walked the city centre to visit sites, followed by a short break mid-afternoon to a department store restaurant. On our exit we were disorientated and asked two local girls for directions, before walking for a while to re-join the city bus to the National Railway Museum.

Then I received a phone call from the police to say my wife’s purse had been recovered from the river, minus the entire cash of over £160. Her bank cards were intact, but ruined.

That was the end of our trip, no money for accommodation and no money for dinner. I had luckily already topped up with diesel sufficient to get us the 250 miles home.

I had always thought York was supposed to be a relatively crime free city, but spoiled by a low-down thief.

Robert J Watford, Brauch Bhan, Strathtummel.

I WISH to thank the woman who handed my purse into the Little Diamond shop on Friday lunchtime. It restores my faith in the honesty of people.

Thanks once again.

Mrs M Steel, Northolme Drive, York