AN unprecedented number of Worcester News readers have been making their opinions heard after taxi drivers spontaneously decided to finish work early at the weekend.

The move was a protest against a series of violent attacks on drivers and a council report revealing that two in five city cabs are unsafe.

Only four cabs were operating in the city after midnight on Saturday, leaving scores of people with no way of getting home.

As a result, at the time of printing, almost 100 people have commented on the story by logging onto www.worcesternews.co.uk.

Here are just some of the comments: Bob, from Worcester, said: "Well done taxi drivers, leaving scores of people to walk home on a busy Saturday night, will really help you to get the public on your side! And think of all that lovely money you have missed out on. Whoever is advising the taxi drivers and representing them is doing them no favours at all. Put your own house in order and perhaps the public's respect for you will return."

kaz, Worcester, said: "Has anyone stopped for one minute to consider how the drivers must be feeling to have to do something like strike on a busy Saturday night? No, all they think of is themselves getting home etc. I hope they were inconvenienced, it might make them realise just what a good job the majority of drivers are doing."

Worcester Resident said: "Good on the cabbies. They're not appreciated for the job they do anyway, so why not have a night off, and if the cabs are so dangerous, the public are not much safer, at least the passengers are insured when they get into a cab - what about the driver from the violent public? Someone is beaten up almost every weak what's been done?" However, It's a long walk home..., Worcester, said: "Had this been a serious, planned and well publicised attempt at industrial action from the taxi drivers we could have all planned accordingly and most members of the public would have then sympathised with their plight. To undertake this walkout in such a shameful and unprofessional manner has lost any sympathy I might have had.

Disgusted, Worcester, said: "I am surprised there have not been a spate of attacks on that night when busy nightclubs close many women/ younger men that leave live a long distance away. If someone had been injured/ raped or even murdered that night the taxi drivers would of been responsible. The contract of passenger trust now does not exist. First dangerous unsafe cars and now deserting people that need transport. Any person that now goes out into the city centre after midnight is at real risk and maybe anytime the taxis neglect customers."

Charlotte, Worcester, said: "No Disgusted' it would have been the police's fault if anyone had been raped or murdered, and seeing as anyone wasn't, then they did their job properly.

"Yes, I was in town on Saturday night, yes I only found out at 11-ish that the taxis weren't going to be there and it was a big inconvenience to me but if I was getting attacked in my day job and not getting any help for it then I might consider walking out too."