I AM writing as a matter of urgency to correct a statement which appeared in an interview in yesterday's Evening Press. One of those involved in calling the police to the location near which Mark Hobson was arrested was quoted as saying that it took 25 minutes for the police to arrive.

If accurate this would of course be a matter of concern to both the public and the police.

In fact:

u the first 999 call from Shipton was at 14.47 hours

u the first police car arrived at 14.55, eight minutes later

u two armed response vehicles arrived two minutes later at 14.57

Your readers will appreciate, I am sure, the importance of putting the record straight in this matter. The public has played a major part in this force's massive investigation into the tragic deaths at Camblesforth and Strensall, and I would not like it thought that North Yorkshire Police had let them down by a dilatory response to a public-spirited call that - as events proved - was absolutely crucial.

Chief Supt Tim Madgwick,

Commander, North Yorkshire Police Central Area,

Fulford Road, York.

Updated: 10:09 Tuesday, July 27, 2004