EVERY night now there are at least three helicopters in the sky over Edinburgh (maybe Glasgow too?). A couple of them hover at about 3,000ft, twinkling like pretend stars half a mile apart, while another creeps around nearer rooftop level.

Given that most of us are not terrorists, it must be pretty boring work watching high resolution images of ordinary citizens going about the streets. Maybe best to keep your curtains drawn – and hope they don't have kit that can peer through those as well ...

On a serious note, is this level of surveillance really necessary, and what on earth is it costing us? Is it the reason Police Scotland call centres and other services are closing?

Paul Turner,

4 Murieston Terrace, Edinburgh.