TROUBLED times indeed down at BBC Radio York. Staff have been shocked and appalled by plans to axe several jobs as part of national savings imposed by Director General Mark Thompson.

But one listener is fuming at the axing of what he says are two of the station's most popular shows.

John Strudwick contacted the Evening Press to attack the disappearance of Mike Hurley on Saturdays and the Phone In on Sundays.

He said the decisions seemed strange, as the shows were reputed to be "flagship weekend programmes", and fumed: "Hurley Burley provided a style of programme that is all too rare on BBC radio these days, and this is why it was so popular and should be restored forthwith.

"The economy reasons seem all the more strange as it is not long since programmes were changed last summer, which led to the splitting of the early morning programme, now requiring four presenters.

"It has become so parochial ...that I wonder if this is just another example of the BBC dumbing down to be so local that the station loses all credibility and authority."

A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that changes would be made to some weekend programmes from the beginning of April for both "financial and programming reasons". She said the changes, which were only being made "after many weeks of thought", included the replacement of Hurley Burley by a new show presented by Anna Wallace.

A gardening phone-in with Nigel Harrison that starts at 8am would continue, but would be extended beyond 9am. Down To Earth would move to 9am on Sunday, and presenter James Watt would be joining Radio York for the first time for a new programme from 10am to 1pm. "This means the Sunday phone-in will come to an end."

She said, like all parts of the BBC, Radio York was having to make savings under the Value For Money initiative, but there were sound scheduling factors too.

"The gardening phone-in, which regularly gets the best listening figures of the week, is being extended to meet demand. Anna Wallace will bring her unique style to Saturday morning, and Sunday morning will see the arrival of an exciting new talent in the form of James Watt.

"Mike Hurley and Sally Fairfax have made massive contributions to Radio York's weekend output over the past few years and we wish them well for the future following the end of their show.

"Jonathan Cowap continues to present Newstalk 5pm to 7pm on weekdays, where listeners can call and give their views."

CALLING all curry-lovers... here's a tasty resource for checking out Indian eateries languishes on the pages of the Internet - we give you the York Atmospheric Chemistry Group's Curry Website.

Billed as: "The only website where York's curry houses are expertly reviewed by trained scientists and published in a respected scientific journal" it promises its student reviewers will employ "all their scientific know how" in publishing their verdicts.

The qualifications of contributors are certainly impressive: ace critic Charlotte Jones' CV reads thus: "my research involves studying the aqueous phase destruction of reactive organic iodine compounds such as CH3I, CH2I2 and CH2ICl which are produced in seawater.

"These species are emitted from the oceans into the atmosphere and are thought to contribute to catalytic ozone depletion and formation of marine aerosol."

Blimey.

There are even pictures of the toilets - vital.

Updated: 10:02 Monday, March 28, 2005