IT'S tough going being a postie these days.

Our postal paratroopers are stuck on the front line between the Royal Mail management and their victims - sorry, customers.

Residents who once rewarded their postman or woman with a cheery smile are now more likely to fire off a scowl when their morning mail arrives at lunchtime.

So the Diary has sympathy for the postal worker who seemingly quit his job halfway through his round.

A Walmgate resident got in touch after an unusual discovery.

"I went out to the backyard to get my car. I opened the wheelie bin to put a bin bag in, and sitting on top of the rubbish was a Royal Mail hat and clip-on tie," he said.

Because the bins are hidden out of the way the Diary's informant believes the postie "dumped the uniform in mid-shift. They have obviously had enough". Happily, our man hasn't noticed any change in the quality of the service. It's still dismal.

"We had the same postman for about ten years and everything was always fine, the post arrived first thing in the morning.

"Now we are last on the list, which I find hard to believe because we are still in the city walls. We don't get our post in Walmgate until 11 o'clock."

SHE was engrossed by the hardy perennials. But staff were ready to lock up.

The result: an Acomb mum-of-two rooted to the spot after Wyevale Garden Centre locked the huge gate with her still inside the grounds.

She made a frantic mobile phone call home. Her quick-thinking husband reacted instantly. When he stopped laughing, he hot-footed it round to the Borougbridge Road establishment with the necessary equipment - a digital camera to capture her embarrassment forever.

The woman, whose identity we are protecting because she's had enough stick, refused to let him call the fire brigade because she was too embarrassed and made him cut through the gate's padlock chain with a hacksaw, we hear.

Disappointingly the photographs of her plight have yet to surface.

A LITTLE over a year after York Minster began charging people to enter, the Diary got its hands on the cathedral's Official Guide Book from 1930.

"Tickets for entrance to the Chapter House (6d) or Tower (1/-) can be obtained at the Minster Book Table," wrote York Minster's librarian, the Rev F Harrison. "For visiting the Minster itself, no charge is now made."

ARE you a part-time thespian waiting for a call?

Graham Smith, of the Rowntree Players, contacted the Diary to send a message to his past casts: sorry, but we can't get in touch.

The database of people involved with previous Players' pantos has been lost, because of a computer crash. But if you're keen to take part in this year's show, go along to the read-through at the York Boys' Club, Lowther Street, at 7.30pm on Thursday.

CYCLING campaigner Paul Hepworth keeps his eyes peeled as he pedals the city roads.

"Spotted in High Ousegate last Thursday as I cycled to work, painted on the back of a small, covered lorry a list of its legally permitted speeds on different types of road.

"This included 50 mph on... duel carriageways." On guard!

Write to: The Diary, Chris Titley, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York YO1 9YN Email diary@ycp.co.uk Telephone (01904) 653051 ext 337

Updated: 08:43 Tuesday, September 14, 2004