PLEASE tell Councillor Keith Orrell that he was ripped off! He says that on top of the £38,000 from the government, York tax payers chipped in £12,000 of their own hard-earned council tax.

All for some street performers, some lights to be pointed at the Minster and a secret fireworks display.

I didn't see any performers and I could have reproduced the same effect on the Minster with £60 of equipment from Ikea.

As for the fireworks, well where do I start? Coun Orrell was worried about congestion, crowd safety and control.

Oi Keith! Ever heard of that big fieldy thing given to the people of York a couple of hundred years ago? Knavesmire they call it, quite roomy, almost tailor-made for displays and the like, with a breathtaking lack of large concrete structures in the way, like, mm, let's see, central York, you muppet!

I saw about four of these secret fireworks on Saturday night from central York, I think that's about £12,000 per bang.

They must have had very big windows in the shop you bought them from, Coun Orrell, because they really saw you coming.

Mr M Vaughan,

Alcuin Avenue, York.

Updated: 10:30 Monday, November 14, 2005