READING your article "The Thin Blue Line" (April 22) I make the following observations on plans to deploy 10,500 police officers at Gleneagles, near Edinburgh, Scotland.

Why do the powers that be have to call on already stretched police forces, ie North Yorkshire, to police the G8 Summit at the expense of our local taxpayers?

The possible ramifications of such a ploy open up targets for demon-strations at our local military installations, peaceful or otherwise for our already depleted police force to cope with.

This event is on an international level, devised by the respective governments who are taking part and they should foot the bill wherever such an event takes place with all their wealthy resources.

Your local "bobbies" only wish to deal with their own local issues. We are not as yet a "national police force". Although time will tell.

There was no hesitation by central Government to deploy and finance the London, Manchester and other police forces throughout the country when called on to police the miners' strike in the northern coalfields.

K Bowker,

Vesper Walk,

Huntington,

York.

Updated: 10:48 Thursday, May 05, 2005