SIR – Your report during end of July reading of the persons in Astwood Road telling Polish people to ‘go home’ upset me so much that it is only now that I can give these people in Astwood Road why I am so upset. My reasons are because in 1939 Poland was invaded by the Nazis and many of their service men escaped that tyranny and landed in England. In 1940 Polish airmen assisted the RAF in the Battle of Britain, and later were able to raid Germany alongside the RAF and American airmen.

Also I was stationed on a naval base during the war which had upwards of 2000 members of the Polish navy preparing for a future event, namely D-Day. We have lots to thank the Polish forces for their help during this conflict and after the war some of them decided to stay here and work, as did some Italian and German POWs. In later years I worked alongside Polish personnel, as does my son today and he gets along very well with him and sometimes gives him a lift to work. To tell the Polish people to return home, they are actually descendants of Polish people that helped us to defeat the common enemy. Please cease this idea that Polish residents are not wanted here, they are.

An apology from the people in Astwood Road would be very much appreciated, and they should be grateful that they can live in a peaceful environment.

N M Dunkley

Worcester