ON Wednesday, September 1, at around 10am, I was walking along Garstang Road when I saw a cyclist riding on the pavement.

The cyclist shot past a parked police car.

I mentioned this, and the new £20 penalty fine for such an offence, to the WPC inside, but she gave the standard police reply - roughly translated as 'I don't want to know'.

I shall remember this if the police ever want my help in future.

The police force is now on a par with all the MPs and councillors - an information-collecting department with no real muscle.

Like many folk, I have totally lost faith in this country, the system and everything about it.

P Mayor, Blackpool Road, Fulwood.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.