SIR — I have recently returned from a hot and very well earned holiday to find that your letters column, in spite of the cold weather, has also reached scorching temperatures.
I recently wrote a rather innocuous letter about the Crinkly capital of Britain, now more commonly referred to as North Hill or Higher Town and the average age and alcohol consumption of its inhabitants compared to the rest of Minehead.
The response has been quite disproportionate. I have been described as sanctimonious, pious, offensively ageist, envious and a nutter.
Some of the letters were written tongue in cheek but others were lacking a sense of humour; the other critical thing they were lacking was any kind of denial.
I rest my case and conclude that the inhabitants of Higher Town have their heads in the clouds because they spend too much time atop their high horses.
Demonstrating this perfectly was a letter from one of your stalwart contributors, Carl Saunders-Singer; we really must be in panto season, as he "treated" us to a grotesque and vivid portrait of his morning bedroom routine with his dog.
Disturbingly I found myself agreeing with his views on NIMBYism regarding Hinkley Point and the bloated public sector, however that's where the agreements end.
His own strange non-sequitur of a long-standing plot to put up access barriers across Martlet Road and other routes to Higher Town are obviously a personal pipe dream.
I would however request that in the unlikely event that his long awaited, much-anticipated erections do materialise, there won't be any mention of them in your paper.
On a serious note I would like to thank all involved in the real Minehead panto of Dick Whittington, truly marvellous entertainment. Well done to you all, you should be very proud.
Nick Lushwood,
78 Sheldrake Close,
Minehead.