THE Government's announcement that it wants us to carry identity cards holds no "Big Brother" terrors for most folk in Bromsgrove.

Home Secretary David Blunkett has said he wants a six-month debate on the thorny issue before a final decision is made.

Many see it as the first step to creating a police state, others as a huge benefit to fighting crime, fraud, illegal immigration and as a convenient, modern "tool" to obtaining goods and services.

To find out how people in Bromsgrove felt we went on to the High Street and asked some of them at random.

By chance the first was a visitor from Massachusetts, Amy Theerman, who has carried an ID card for all her adult life.

"I have got no hang ups about it," she said. It's a way of life. Back home I'm asked to show it at least once a day."

She added she was more concerned about the number of CCTV spy cameras in the town.

Dan Kimberley, aged 16 from Tardebigge, said ID cards would help stop under-age drinking and his pal, poultry worker Sam Byng, 17, from Aston Fields reckoned they would help cut down credit card fraud.

Roman Way resident Barry Wescott declared he had nothing to hide and would be happy to carry a card.

However, Jess Smith, 16, from Bromsgrove, was not convinced. She thinks the scheme will be difficult to put into operation and maintain and could lead to big problems if a card was stolen or fell into the wrong hands.

Her friend meanwhile, 16-year-old student Debbie Crowther from Bromsgrove, said she had not heard about the ID card debate.

Town MP Julie Kirkbride who possibly next year will have to vote on the issue is in favour, as is the leader of the Labour group on Bromsgrove District Council, councillor Peter McDonald (Uffdown and Waseley).

Miss Kirkbride said: "It has now become very important that we can ascertain the identity of people who wish to receive state benefits, or for that matter NHS treatment.

"The only way we can be sure that people are entitled to receive what they are claiming is if we have a form of identity card."