WHILE I appreciate Richard Delingpole's anger on BBC1'S Inside Out programme I felt it was harsh to describe UCW as "not the best of colleges" and attracting "not a particularly high quality of student."

I am a student at UCW but have previously attended the University of Birmingham which perhaps Mr Delingpole would approve as a "suitable" institution being older and more established with high entry requirements.

I have come across this snobbery too much before, especially when I told people I was leaving Birmingham to attend UCW.

The fact it is a newer institution should not detract from the standard of education it provides. UCW has been excellent at widening participation in higher education with nearly 60 per cent of those attending being mature students.

I have found that most students I have come across are incredibly involved in their studies - more so than I felt at Birmingham.

While there is no doubt, as in any other town or city with a student population, that a small proportion of UCW students are disruptive to local residents, Richard

Delingpole's comments were unnecessarily detrimental to the reputation of UCW and its students.

CATHERINE LAIDLAW,

St Peter's, Worcester.