WATCHING a recent episode of Taggart, the TV police series, made me realise that a number of years had passed since the original Taggart was on the force.

Applying this principle to our local police forces led me to speculate on other possible titles.

A programme based on the Cleveland force could be called Mallon, after the current Mayor of Middlesbrough.

In a similar vein, a series based on the Durham force could be named Mackenzie, after Lord Brian Mackenzie of Framwellgate.

This may seem to be mixing reality with fantasy, but as the recent situation involving the BBC and Her Majesty reveals, this will not prove a problem for the TV producers.

Martin Birtle, Billingham.