HOLT! Who goes there?

None other than York's inner city otters.

The discovery of these endangered mammals on the River Foss in the centre of York was described by city councillor Brian Watson as "so exciting".

"I was told that the nature officer came running through the planning department with a handful of otter poo."

That was confirmed by the man concerned, Bob Missin, City of York Council's countryside officer. He discovered the otter droppings - or spraint, to use the technical term - while checking the site destined to become Grays Wharf, a riverside office development.

As it is an offence to kill or "knowingly disturb" an otter, the developers will now have to construct a replacement holt - an underground lair - for the animals.

Mr Missin said he had been aware of otters living around the outskirts of York for some time. Two have been killed on roads in the Strensall area; he plans to erect fencing to prevent others getting on to the road in future. One of the dead animals was four and a half feet long.

On the evidence of previous sightings of an otter family, Mr Missin speculates that this pair might have been the mum and dad of two cubs who have made the Foss their home.

"Whether they're breeding yet or not we don't know," he said. "It means there is enough fish in the river for them, which is a good thing."

Mr Missin hopes to do more for York's otters. "We're trying to develop a programme to link otter populations on the Foss and the Ouse," he said.

SOME otter facts, gleaned from the knowledgeable Mr Missin. A male, or dog, otter can range over six to eight miles, far further than a female. One otter was killed on the A64 near the Central Science Laboratory at Sand Hutton.

And spraint - otter poo - smells of violets. Those learning about the animals must sniff some spraint to become acquainted with the fragrance. Inevitably, after a while it becomes crumbly.

Mr Missin revealed that one student inhaled too sharply, and had to be taken to hospital with fishbones embedded in his nasal cavities.

WEDNESDAY'S feature about the ever-earlier arrival of Christmas led reader Alan Rowntree to share some recent email correspondence he exchanged with Sainsbury's.

"Why is it possible," he asked the supermarket chain, "to go into the Monks Cross York store today at 4pm and pick up a Christmas pudding three months before the event, but be unable to obtain Mullerice or organic large size eggs? Come on!"

The reply was typically dismissive: we're sorry, said Denise Dunn of Sainsbury's, unavoidable supply problems, check with customer services next time...

Not good enough, replied our Alan, who lives in Wigginton.

"We converted from Tesco over a year ago because of a similar attitude and now find that Sainsbury's is no different. Where is this 'loyalty' that is talked about so much? Can we have it displayed on your side as well?"

And he finishes by letting off steam about shoppers with full trolley loads being allowed through the "basket only" checkouts.

What is your biggest supermarket bugbear? Share your shopping stories with the Diary.

Updated: 11:12 Friday, October 07, 2005