LAST week I was woken up at 11.30pm on Saturday January 23 by a police helicopter hovering above my flat for about 30 minutes.

I looked through my window and saw above 12 policemen running down the street with torches. Apparently, they were searching for an individual with a 12" combat knife who was subsequently sentenced on Tuesday last to a nine month community order and £265 in fines.

I believe it costs upward of £40,000 of taxpayers' money to put a helicopter into the air, not to mention overtime payments to all the officers involved in the operation. In these frugal times of government cut backs to the police this would seem like the economics of the mad house considering the eventual outcome.

I wonder why the GMP cannot send up remote controlled drones to do the work of their helicopters for a fraction of the cost? I believe the police in Devon, Dorset and Cornwall are already doing this.

Peter Lewis Fairchild

Hilden Street

Bolton