Your correspondent, David Carroll, praises the local book Cotswold Lad by Sid Knight.

As Mr Carroll shows an interest in local books, maybe he and other readers may be interested in Open fields and Carthorses, the life of a Cotswold Farmer.

This 44-page book was written by Peter Stayt shortly before his death.

It is a wonderful series of tales of his childhood around Lower Swell and in later years at Westcote.

Peter's family have kindly agreed that proceeds of the sale of the book go to LINC, the Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund of Cheltenham General Hospital.

The book costs £2.50 plus a small donation for postage and anyone who would like one can contact me my email or phone, 01451-830187.

David Burke, Stow-on-the-Wold , dburke@zoom.co.uk