'A licence for more repeats'

SIR - I do hope the public have noticed the rise in the TV licence, now £147 per year.

With repeats every day, bombarded with far too many cookery programs, bashed with politics every Sunday, between eight and ten adverts in the breaks.

So if a programme is on for an hour, theory has it, we only get forty minutes? This is downright disgusting. Judge Judy last week! 10am to 5pm. This was due to running out of anything interesting.

Now Roger Moore is chasing villains in heaven, I’ve noticed all his Bond movies are being shown. My views are, he was too soft as Bond.

Must we be pushed into watching such rubbish, now the A team are making a return. What for? God only knows, how about a few Elvis movies?

L Presley

Worcester

'Left to stand in the sun'

SIR - My friend and I arrived at Worcester bus station 10 minutes before the departure time of the 15:00hrs X50 to Evesham.

The temperature had been in the mid to upper 20s. I am 75 with arthritis in my knees and feet and a heart condition and my friend is 82 also with medical problems.

The bus did not turn up and the only seat in the bus shelter is too high for us to sit on. We were afraid to go into the main covered area in case the bus turned up and we missed it, so we were forced to stand for over an hour in the blazing sun until the next bus arrived at 1600.

It’s driver was very helpful and informed the inspector who at last came to tell us that the 1500hr X50 didn’t run as it was faulty and he had to deal with an ambulance case and had been too busy to tell us.

We saw the ambulance appear after about half an hour after we stood waiting for the bus so why couldn’t he have come over to tell us earlier? We could then have found somewhere to sit out of the sun.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with the X50 Worcester to Evesham bus at 15.00hrs not turning up?

Mrs Ruth Guest

Pershore

'Cull gulls? It’s ludicrous idea'

SIR - During the summer period, there are always alarmist stories of gulls “attacking” people - which inevitably lead to calls to cull them.

The holiday period coincides with the birds’ breeding season and, being such fierce defenders of their offspring, the birds may occasionally become aggressive in order to see off any perceived threat to their nest and children.

These “attacks” are usually exaggerated by the media and are very rare indeed. To cull wild animals for protecting their babies is nothing short of ludicrous.

Despite this, if gulls are causing issues, there are a number of effective, humane methods of deterrence that can be used to discourage birds from nesting on flat roofs or chimneys, or from rummaging in our rubbish. Animal Aid has free advice sheets that detail the number of humane, non-lethal methods of deterrence available.

In any case, we should show tolerance to these birds, not least because they are just being good parents, and six of the seven gull species are in decline.

For a factsheet email: info@animalaid.org.uk

Tod Bradbury

Campaigner Animal Aid, Tonbridge

'Unite and go forward'

SIR - Since the devastating cuts and lie of austerity, there’s not much left in Worcester for people to go and meet decent folk.

However, one shining light is Unite Community and the good folk at Unite that do loads of stuff to make things better: helping the NHS resist privatisation, advice for the unwaged and solidarity are just three examples.

What better way to get active in the community than doing stuff that strengthens that community. Therefore it’s truly appreciated from all in Worcester to the great work done by all those at Unite – forward in unity!

Dave Griffiths

Worcester

'Discourteous to dignitary'

SIR - The Mayor of Gouzeaucourt, with whom we have a temporary twinning as part of the city’s commemorations of WW1, was visiting the city and was part of our Mayor’s civic party at the opening ceremony for the 3 Choirs Festival.

Yet not only was he named as the Mayor of Le Vesinet in your paper but in your correction you made no mention of who he actually is and why he should have been photographed with our Mayor.  Is this the way to treat a visiting dignitary to this city?

Our links with Gouzeaucourt go back nearly 100 years when, after the devastation of the fighting in north eastern France, Worcester ‘adopted’ the village and raised money to help in its post-war reconstruction.

This consisted mainly in sending a wind pump with which they could reinstate their water supply, the wells having been poisoned during the war.  It would be a pity if the long-standing and friendly relations with this French community were to be damaged by such shabby treatment in the local newspaper.

Liz Smith

Chairman, Worcester Twinning Association

  • Editor's note: We apologise that our correction was cut short by a production problem. We are happy to offer every courtesy to visitors.