LIGHTS, camera, action for Channel 4 in York.

I was delighted to read that City of York Council - together with Yorkshire LEPs - are keen to attract Channel 4 headquarters to York (The Press, July 15).

This would seem to be a great prestigious opportunity for the city that might address the balance of lost national industry that York has endured over the years with the loss of railways and chocolate production - and put us back into the mainstream.

As someone who has been involved with television work since the 1960s - and in despair of Yorkshire losing so much television work with the decline of Yorkshire Television in Leeds - and the BBC losing its purpose-built studio, I decided three years ago to try to do something.

I wrote personally to all the Yorkshire MPs with my campaign for more television production in the county. Many replied and were positive, including playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn.

Production has been positive - Yorkshire has become incredibly popular for major drama series such as Victoria, Happy Valley, Last Tango In Halifax, Death Comes To Pemberley, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Dark Angel and The Syndicate.

I hope that the council leader Cllr David Carr can persuade the 47 councillors to put energy and enthusiasm into an aggressive bid as York has so much to offer for Channel 4.

Keith Massey, Ambassador GTC, Bishopthorpe, York