THREE cheers for Carl Nickson, a public-spirited citizen if ever there was one.

When he saw a man furtively handing over a package in the street in exchange for cash, he suspected at once it contained drugs.

After observing the man approach more people, he called the police - who were subsequently able to arrest dealer Massimo Rebecchi.

Mr Nickson’s prompt action in discreetly tipping off the police ultimately led to Rebecchi being successfully prosecuted and given a suspended sentence for selling cannabis in the street.

We wouldn’t recommend that most readers attempt to spy on suspected drug dealers like this. Without proper training, we might quickly give ourselves away and land up in a whole heap of trouble.

But Mr Nickson knew exactly what he was doing. He runs Eboracum Security, which provides the Street Ranger team for York BID.

This case underlines the value of having trained ‘eyes and ears’ such as the BID Rangers patrolling in York. Because of their expertise, they can be of enormous help to the police As for Mr Nickson, he is to receive a £200 reward: money he intends to give to a local drug rehabilitation charity. Because while he’s the man who helped get Rebecchi arrested, he wants to help people with drug problems, not see them punished.

His company comes into contact with a lot of drug users, he says, and tries to put them in touch with charities which can help them get off drugs. “I think that’s the best approach.”

People will have different views about that. But we applaud Mr Nickson’s commitment.