THE street performer who found fame after being arrested for "driving" an imaginary racing car in the centre of York has now staged a silent protest there.

David Honan joined shoppers and visitors in a busy street on Saturday afternoon to highlight his claims that some traders are "silencing" street entertainers by chasing them away from their shop fronts.

He stood with his mouth taped up to illustrate what he sees as the unreasonable attitude of some traders to buskers and street artists.

The Evening Press broke the story in February of how police arrested Mr Honan for running around York making engine noises in a Formula One Ferrari driver outfit.

In March he went on to feature in a team of entertainers on the BBC's live Test The Nation show, competing against dustbin men, surfers and the Women's Institute.

Mr Honan, 32, said: "This is a serious protest against a few shopkeepers who go out of their way to silence street performers like myself by not only making sure they can't perform outside their premises - which would be fair enough - but chasing them off their streets altogether. It's about time the city started being more hospitable to street performers and working with them rather than against them."

But Stephen Bailey, of Scott's the Butcher, in Stonegate, one of the shops Mr Honan protested against, said: "I don't mind anyone playing near my shop as long as they are good and they don't stay too long. If they are bad and then repetitive, yes, I chase them away. It detracts from my custom."

Updated: 09:42 Monday, October 31, 2005