MODEL Alison Richards left male passers-by hot and flustered when she delivered an energy-o-gram to a York store.

Clad only in her underwear, Alison launched PlanetYork's Turn Down The Heat campaign in Brown's department store, Davygate.

The year-long project aims to make York the UK's most energy- efficient city.

With the arrival of spring, it is telling shopkeepers to turn down their heating. "This may seem an extreme way of grabbing people's attention, but we hope it will illustrate the problem of over-heating in shops," said Laura Collins, PlanetYork's campaign manager.

"While there may be Siberian frosts outside, in many stores it's so hot that you'd be more comfortable in your underwear.

"By turning down the heat, traders will not only improve the comfort of shoppers, they will save money on their energy bills and help reduce the production of harmful greenhouse gases."

Browns has embraced the message and turns heating off unless temperatures are really low.

Shane Longhorne, the store's business manager, said: "Cardigans, jackets and fleeces are part of the uniform,

"Staff are encouraged to wear them if the weather is cold."

Updated: 10:32 Monday, May 06, 2002