RUMOUR has it that a senior judge got so hot under his wig about the magical icy wonderland taking shape outside his court he summoned an underling to get hold of a fellow figure of public justice to restore order as we know it.

A traffic warden duly arrived at York's winter ice-rink that has sprung up opposite both Clifford's Tower and York Crown Court to cast his beady eye over the array of parked vehicles littering the road.

A cheeky Diary reader has suggested that the ice-rink workers had permission to park there temporarily - unlike the owners of some of the more luxurious motors nestling against double yellows outside the court.

But a City of York Council spokeswoman has quashed the rumour - or parts of it at least - saying "no, the workers did not have temporary permission, and yes, some penalty charge notices were issued".

Which vehicles were treated to a fine remains a rumour.

IT seems budget cuts at City of York Council could be going all the way to the top this year - with even our civic leaders' finest clothes facing the chop.

The Diary has been passed this picture of the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Janet Hopton, with a worker's construction hat in place of her traditional tricorn.

Is Coun Hopton set to do a stint with the builders over at Hungate where the city council wants to have its new HQ ? It seems not.

The hat - complete with DN1 markings to match the civic car - was, in fact, presented to her by Steve Bielby, Master of The York Guild of Building, at a reception at All Saints' Church, Pavement, on Sunday.

Thanks to Tony Neal for the information and picture.

CHARGING motorists for every mile they drive has become the new political hot potato - but Yorkshire MEP Godfrey Bloom has come up with his own suggestion for tackling carbon emissions.

Cut the cost of buying cars, he cries in an attack on the proposal in the Queen's Speech.

While the Government cites the environment as the need for "black boxes" in cars, Mr Bloom believes he has found a better solution.

He said: "The problem is that even in urban areas, public transport will never be convenient enough for most road users. We can't stop people using cars - but some of the new generation of hybrid vehicles are incredibly fuel-economical. The problem is many people can't afford to buy them.

"The Government should cut VAT by 50 per cent for the most efficient vehicles, to bring them into the price range of the average buyer. This is far better than spying on innocent motorists."