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'I'd donate money to preserve city's ancient walls'

Emily Johnson
BBC News, Yorkshire
Reporting fromYork
BBC/ Emily Johnson A woman, with tied up blonde hair in a sports top, smiles in front of a stone staircase leading up to York's city walls.BBC/ Emily Johnson
Laura White, who was visiting York from Australia, says "tipping" the walls is a brilliant idea

On a sunny day in York, crowds of visitors flock to the city centre to enjoy the weather.

Among the many attractions are the medieval walls, which form a two-mile (3.4km) route encircling the city.

Free for the public to access, the walls are estimated to attract up to 2.5 million visitors a year but with high maintenance costs, York City Council is considering installing a "tap to donate" point at Bootham Bar.

The BBC spoke to tourists about what they thought about the concept of "tipping" to walk the walls.

BBC/ Emily Johnson The Bootham Bar section of York's city walls, which includes a tower, two arches and a stone staircase. Tourists gather in front of it as a meeting point.BBC/ Emily Johnson
A card donation point and interpretation board could be installed at Bootham Bar

'Brilliant idea'

Laura White, from Melbourne, Australia, descends the stone staircase at Bootham Bar, looking for her next clue on a geocaching adventure.

It is her first visit to York, and the UK, for a three-week bucket list trip.

"This is day three of exploring York on foot and I've done various sections of the walls every day," she says.

Hearing about plans for a donation point, Laura agrees it is a "brilliant idea".

"I've noticed as I've visited other places around England all of the museums that are free to enter and I thought that was insane," she its.

"Where I'm from, you pay to enter absolutely everything, which goes towards the maintenance."

Laura praises the National Railway Museum as an "amazing" free attraction and adds she was more than happy to donate there.

"Otherwise, how are these things going to exist for people like me to come over and enjoy this history":[]}