JOE Walter's memories of policing Worcester in a bygone age are always of interest to me as a recently-retired local police officer.

Indeed, he should consider writing a book! Joe's accounts of the days when men were men and loyalty and camaradrie were not considered dated 'ethics', are a tonic.

I fear, however, that Joe would find the police service of today a very different environment to that which he knew and loved. What would Joe and his ilk have made, I wonder, of 'political correctness', 'equal opportunities', 'health & safety', 'respect and dignity at work', 'investors in people', 'risk assessment', 'professional standards department' and the 1,001 other things that hamper and prevent officers delivering the service both demanded and deserved by the tax-paying public.

One story illustrates, I think, how absolutely ridiculous things have become. Since the new station at Castle Street opened, the CID has had a kettle, fridge and hot drink- making facilities in a small room within the office.

The canteen is two floors up and the 'boiler' provided on the adjacent corridor produces but luke warm water.

Alas, some mandarin in an ivory tower, however, decided that the kettle was too dangerous and had to be removed!

So, now you know. Your local detectives are expected to deal with gruesome murder and serious crime on a daily basis, but are not considered sufficiently responsible to boil a kettle. Even a complete idiot must realise that the police service runs on tea and coffee.

DILIP SARKAR (MBE),

Worcester.

Delightful old photo

n I WAS delighted to see the old photograph that you published in the Worcester News on Monday, June 27.

Mrs A Perkins, who sent in that photograph, was able to name three of the men on the photograph and as I have an identical photograph in my collection.

I am able to name the man at the back, wearing an apron, with his hands on his hips. He was Martin Briggs, my father, who managed Lewis' the butchers in the Shambles in the 1920s and 30s.

He would have helped to prepare the food for the picnic that the group had on their outing. I believe that it was a fishing trip.

MRS BERYL SHEPPARD,

Kempsey.

Ban feet on train seats

n I FEEL it is time to start a campaign against those who put their feet on train seats.

What reason can there be for them to do this? If they had painful varicose veins or cellulite, it would be understandable, but I doubt if many have.

The cost of re-upholstering seats must, inevitably be passed on as higher fares, so this is a matter which should concern all rail users. It is also surprising that ticket inspectors do not request practitioners to desist.

Apart from financial concerns, there are health and cleanliness issues. What have these shoes stepped in? Rail users unite! Write supporting this letter! Write to Central Trains!

DAVID RYDER,

Worcester.

n ARE ID cards really necessary or, is this yet another exaggeration of Charles Clarke and this dictatorial Labour Government to control us by fear?

Surely, if they are a tool to prevent an imminent terrorist threat, then to be effective we need them now. Oh, but of course, they have changed their minds on why we need them. Now it's for our own protection, to prevent fraud, to stop people making false claims and to help locate illegal immigrants.

If the technology is not available and the true cost unknown, then let's forget the idea or it will end up as another costly faux-pas, as did the Millennium Dome.

I believe the ID card to be an infringement of our civil rights and maybe the forerunner of an Orwellian type state control.

As I understand it we shall be required (sooner or later) to carry this card at all times. Will they eventually go the whole way and micro-chip everyone?

TONY EAVES,

Martin Hussingtree.

Worcester.

All systems go, sarg!

n WHEN I applied to join the local police many moons ago, I was amazed to find I had to take a medical. I was as lively and alert as a flea, the picture of health!

I presented by body to the police surgeon who took one look at me, and shattered my ego when he said: "You're not very big, the standards must be slipping, strip off for me please."

He started up north and checked by eyes and said 'How you ever fired a gun in the services with your eyesight I'll never know.'

With plenty of 'tut tuts' as he looked at other inadequate parts of me he got to my size 12s.

'Your feet are flatter than mine' he commented. Now this really worried me as I didn't know how flat his plates of meat were!

He then handed me a large jug and said: "Go behind the screen and pass me a sample into this". I went out of sight completely demoralised by the state of my body and then realised that the well was dry and the tap would not turn on!

"Can't you go laddie?" he queried and added: "Never mind, take this bottle with you, and when you feel up for it, go and see the sergeant with the bottle at the station."

This was the best bit of my medical, I disappeared into the Shakespeare Hotel in Angel Street and quietly began to fill the well with some lovely glasses of brown nectar and soon began to forget my horrific visit to the doctors. I was really beginning to enjoy myself when my body started to give me a message I couldn't ignore, so clutching my bottle like a relay runner I started to run to the Nick!

I arrived at the front desk puffed out and pointing to my bottle said: "All systems go, Sarg!"

The rest is history, I could have filled a crate of bottles. I somehow passed my medical and joined the boys in blue, but I often felt I should have been disqualified from riding police bikes for life.

JOE WALTER,

Worcester.

n IF Tony Blair has £18bn to waste on unwanted ID Cards, as directed no doubt from the also unwanted EU, perhaps he should be allocating a few millions for schools and more cash to get hospitals out of debt.

PETER ALCOCK,

Upton Snodsbury.