RAY Mallon looks at York through a visitor's eyes, and that makes his observation on the city's begging problem valuable.

Residents become resigned to the scruffy figure in the doorway mumbling a request for money. But Mr Mallon was shocked by the number of beggars around the city, and it was clearly the major impression of York he took back north. We are left to wonder how many other visitors are similarly affected.

Whether the Middlesbrough mayor's suggested solution is workable, however, is open to question.

In Middlesbrough they followed some beggars to their front door and captured the fact that they were not homeless on videotape.

York police have long publicised the fact that many of the city's beggars are so-called "professionals" who commute long distances to sponge off the tourists.

Even if the police had the resources to follow beggars around with video cameras, it is debatable whether this extra evidence would make a deal of difference.

The first step in tackling street begging is to distinguish the professional parasites from the genuinely needy.

That is why the new scheme to help York's drug addicts, alcoholics and rough sleepers is so welcome. The initiative combines the experience and compassion of the council's community services department, the Arc-Light Project and the Association for the Care and Reform of Offenders.

It aims to help those pushed to the fringes of York society back into the mainstream. Ex-offenders, addicts and homeless people can volunteer to take part in schemes to clean up the city.

This should give them a renewed sense of purpose, as well as being a first step on the road back to paid employment and independence: all while York's environment is improved.

And as a useful by-product, the scheme should help to expose the professional beggars for what they are - lazy, greedy and good-for-nothing.

Updated: 11:06 Friday, August 22, 2003