I WONDER if a reader out there can help me with this query.

I am a writer and researcher of all things paranormal, and in recent weeks I have received no less than five reports of an enigmatic futuristic-looking structure seen at the Grove Street end of Cambridge Street, on the campus of Liverpool University.

All sightings of what looks like an ultra-modern cream-coloured telephone call box have been in broad daylight, and all on the same spot – at the entrance to the former Senate House car park, just north of Sydney Jones Library.

The mysterious structure is seen for several minutes at a time, and then seems to vanish into thin air. The object has about the same height, width and depth as the red classic Giles Gilbert Scott telephone box, only it features odd geometrical facets, so that it resembles some prop from the low-budget era of Doctor Who.

I have made enquiries, and several people have said they vaguely recall futuristic-looking car park attendant booths being in use on the university campus in the early 1970s, so perhaps the reported phenomena are some sort of timeslip. Do any readers recall the booths at the university? Please email me at tom@slemen.com if you do.

Tom Slemen, Liverpool 1

False economies

AT THE city council meeting the Labour Group moved, with minimal consultation, a series of cutbacks.

We accept that they, and all councils, are under considerable pressure due to the Con Lib-Dem Coalition.

However, some of those savings were small in amounts and in our view counterproductive.

To reduce £36,000 on an alcohol adviser dealing with cases of domestic violence and other referrals, and a health prevention worker dealing with older people, will save very little but the costs to social services later will outweigh any short-term saving.

In a similar fashion the reduction in the modest alleygating programme and target hardening will result in greater costs in increased anti-social behaviour, vandalism and crime.

The reduction of more than £400,000 in the positive activities for young people programme is astounding when we realise how much this has achieved in diverting young people from crime and anti-social behaviour.

That is why we in The Liberal Party Group called for these reductions to be deferred and reviewed. However, the Labour majority aided by Green abstentions pushed them through.

Cllrs Steve Radford and Chris Lenton, Liberal Party Group

Hardworking staff

I AM a ship’s cook and recently was admitted into the Royal Hospital with a stroke. When I was on solid food all my visitors asked me what the food was like. I told them it was very good and a good selection. A few days later I read an article regarding the hospital.

I would like to talk about the young men and women who are there in the morning and all day preparing our food who were very polite and cheerful, also helpful.

I do hope they are in line for a pay rise and a monthly travel allowance including laundry allowance and also a good pension scheme.

I would like to thank them and all the staff at the Royal.

Name and address supplied

Help WellChild

I AM writing to ask your readers to consider joining me in making a donation to WellChild for their Reach Out for Sick Children Nurse Appeal.

WellChild, the national charity for sick children, is building up a network of Children’s Nurses throughout the UK who care for seriously ill children and their families and get children with complex conditions out of hospital wards so they can be cared for at home.

The overwhelming evidence shows that most children and their families benefit from being in hospital for the shortest possible time.

The value of WellChild Children’s Nurses is that they allow children and young people to leave hospital earlier AND make sure they have everything they need to be cared for at home. WellChild’s eventual aim is that every child in the UK who needs the help of one of their nurses gets it.

It would be fantastic if you, too, felt able to make a donation to this very worthwhile cause.

You can donate to Reach Out for Sick Children on the appeal website www.wellchildnurseappeal.org by sending a cheque to WellChild, 16 Royal Crescent, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3DA or phoning 0845 458 8171.

Duncan Bannatyne, WellChild Ambassador

Who will facilitate?

WHEN David Cameron's “Big Society” was introduced, we were told that civil servants would be used to facilitate its schemes.

So what does the government do? Closes the Government Office on Merseyside and sacks everybody involved! How about that for joined up thinking?

Mr D A Rainbird, Wallasey