SIR — On Christmas Eve I parked my vehicle in the public car park in Williton to do last minute shopping and was appalled to see the state of the ground - it was a sheet of ice.

Elderly residents like myself find it difficult to carry heavy shopping home and therefore need somewhere to park. It was almost impossible to walk on without slipping.

It might be a cost cutting exercise for the district council but surely it will cost more for the NHS to mend broken limbs.

We still pay Council Tax and have to get a ticket for parking - where does this money go? I thought it was for car park maintenance. Surely the safety of residents should take priority.

I will not comment on the appalling state of the pavements, but I do know that one of the parish councillors collected ten bags of grit and salt for spreading on the pavements by the parish council employee - I should like to know where it was used.

Mrs S E Saunders,

Tower Hill,

Williton.