ON Monday last week, just after lunchtime, I drove to Huntingdon from Ely. Turning off the St Ives road I was greeted by what is now a frequent occurrence – a stationary queue of traffic stretching all the way into Huntingdon. Half an hour later I was at

ON Monday last week, just after lunchtime, I drove to Huntingdon from Ely. Turning off the St Ives road I was greeted by what is now a frequent occurrence - a stationary queue of traffic stretching all the way into Huntingdon.

Half an hour later I was at the head of this queue, in the right-hand land by the traffic lights, alongside a police car, both of us waiting for favourable lights and a gap in the nose-to-tail traffic on the ring road.

Suddenly there was a loud bang from under the bonnet of my car, and it was completely enveloped in dark smoke.

I got out of the car to investigate the problem, concerned for both my car and the impact the incident might have on the already gridlocked centre of Huntingdon. The occupants of the police car looked over their shoulder, and then returned their attention to the front - presumably concerned they might miss a gap in the traffic should one occur.

Fortunately for me (and the traffic behind me) the occupants of the lorry behind the police car came to my rescue, pushing my car first into the space in front of them (the police car having moved forward one space by now), and then onto the pavement by the riverside - behind the police car, which had now moved forward another space. At no time did the occupants of the police car make any attempt to help, to establish the problem or to guide traffic from behind the lorry, whose driver and mate were helping me.

By the time the car was safely parked up, the police car had gone.

I can only assume that the occupants of the police car were in a rush to return to base to fill out some important paperwork, or perhaps they were diligently watching out for any motorist rash enough to try to speed in the gridlocked town centre.

I would like to thank the lorry driver and his mate for helping to move my car, allowing the traffic to flow again, and the police officers for graciously (if inadvertently) moving forward to provide a space to do so.

I am sure the good citizens of Huntingdon will sleep safer in their beds knowing that there are such conscientious and public-spirited police officers patrolling the streets of their town.

FRANK CONNOLLY, Pear Tree Close, Haddenham