TO judge by the Gazette letters page, readers could be forgiven that wheelie bins are out to conquer the world by stealth.

But as one of our readers discovered on a holiday abroad, the sinister contraptions have already made their way to the Middle East. And unlike Dr Who's arch-enemies, the Daleks, wheelie bins can't be frustrated in their diabolical mission by something a simple as a step.

According to Ken Cooke, of Wheatley Road, Ilkley, the Israelis have elevated wheelie bins to national prominence.

Mr Cooke said: "A cartoon from an Israeli newspaper published two weeks ago shows the Minister of Finance (left) and the Minister of Home Affairs (right) pushing wheelie bins whilst Prime Minister Barak is at the wheel of the dustbin lorry.

"On top of the lorry sit representatives of the minority parties - just keeping an eye on things and not especially helping - as usual."

Mr Cooke said that the comment is not about the unwelcome introduction of wheelie bins (as Ilkley people might suppose), but about the impotence of politicians facing a national strike of council employees - including, of course, the dustbin men.

"In bigger towns we couldn't even see the bins for the masses of garbage heaped around. Pity really - as otherwise it is a lovely country," said Mr Cooke.

Mr Cooke said that the first thing he noticed on holiday in Israel was that they had the same kind of wheelie bins as they had in Ilkley - apart from the Bradford Council logo. "They seem to like them and take them for granted - they think they are a good idea," said Mr Cooke.

l More wheelie bin letters - Page 6.

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