WITH reference to the article on Litter Louts in the Evesham Journal of December 8, for almost all of the past 30 years I have driven between 2000 and 4000 miles through at least seven countries of Europe and been aware of less litter on the whole journey compared with almost any 20 mile stretch of roads in the British Isles.

It has always been a pleasure to visit countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Austria where almost everything is so clean and acceptable.

You will not like to hear this, but so far as litter is concerned, we are a filthy nation and it is not just the towns and cities that bear the brunt of it.

Our motorists are the worst offenders - discarding all sorts of rubbish out of their windows, dumping rubbish by the roadside and more rubbish in the lay-bys. When the lay-by litter bins are full, they leave their rubbish lying beside the bins to be blown all over the area by the next strong wind!

Why can't all motorists have the basic common sense to take home their rubbish and put it in their dust bins - there's a perfectly good collection service!

This is but anther example of the malaise within our society where we have little respect for ourselves, for others and, in this case, for our beautiful country-side.

LESLIE FORD, Church Street, Wyre Piddle.