Dear Editor,

Further to the exchange between a somewhat bitter Benet Allen and James Wright, I felt your readers would like to be reassured. The West Somerset Free Press, which has served the local population for many decades, is not as I first thought facing more competition with the launch of the West Somerset Courier, which appeared in my letterbox a week or so ago.

No, this was a cheeky attempt by the Liberal Democrats to 'big up' the alleged achievements of our local MP Rachel Gilmour. Packed across its four pages was item after item about all the good Ms Gilmour is doing. Lots of 'doing' but after 18 months very little has been actually accomplished and her voting record is highly questionable.

Like your readers, I am far more interested in real news , not 'fake news', from a reliable source trusted by the local community. Keep up the good work. Readers might like to know that archive print copies of the WSFP can be viewed by appointment with the Exmoor Society in Dulverton, which has saved them for posterity.

Bill Gash

Dulverton (and former Exmoor Society Trustee)

Dear Editor,

Ms Hawkins of Wellington moans about 'little value to pensioners' lives from services covered by council tax' and groans about 66 per cent of the tax going towards adult and children's social services.

How mean, miserable and sour can one be!

We are a society, not a collection of self-centred, socially insulated units. We all contribute via our taxes to the wellbeing of our society as a whole.

The best example for Ms Hawkins is the huge contribution made by our young and middle aged people towards the inflation proofed pensions enjoyed by those such as the good lady.

Anthony Jones

Minehead

Dear Editor,

Sadly out of sheer frustration I have to write regards the traffic lights at Dunster Steep.

It’s my opinion that the three way junction by the Spar shop in Williton handles the same amount of traffic as the three way junction at Dunster Steep with relative ease and there are no traffic lights on the junction.

The junction by the Spar is simply a white dot painted on the road with two small islands where people on foot can cross, I wonder how many agree.

G Bull, via email

Dear Editor,

It’s good that Alex Harman brought the plight of bull calves in the dairy industry to our notice but part of me thinks their demise has to be the better part of the deal as any female in the dairy industry has an extremely difficult and unhappy life ahead of her.

The dairy industry would like us to think that she will be able frolic in green fields and buttercups. This is far from reality as a vast number of cows in the UK will never see a blade of grass of feel the sun on their backs.

Cows in this country and around the world are subjected to a relentless cycle of forced impregnation, pregnancy, birth and separation from their calves very soon after birth leaving mother and calf distraught. This can happen up to 11 times in the life of a dairy cow.

Due to an increasing demand for cheap dairy products milk is being produced on an industrial scale with thousands of cows being housed on concrete in as cramped conditions as possible to stay alive and never having any fun out of doors which cows do actually love to have.

Sadly, as long as their is a demand for dairy products the life of a cow will not improve.

Sincerely,

Meg Sunningdale

Blue Anchor

Dear Editor,

I read in last week’s Free Press a letter from Alex Harman about dairy bull calves being shot at birth.

I felt I had to write to inform your readers that this is, in fact, incorrect.

The milk buyers have now banned this practice, quite rightly.

There is also now available ‘sexed semen’, which is very reliable, so fewer bull calves are being born.

Also, he is wrong by saying these bull calves are ‘not suitable for beef’.

Only today my farmer husband purchased seven British Friesian steers (males) from Sedgemoor Market that are eight months old.

He paid on average £680 per calf.

These calves will stay on our farm, fed on grass until they are two-and-a-half years old, and will then be sold for beef.

Please, Alex Harman, check your facts before writing to the papers.

Farmers are having a really difficult time as it is without this mis-information.

Name and address supplied

Dear Editor,

In history American presidents have intervened in the politics and events of other countries, bombing, invading and the death of their troops.

Donald Trump’s actions have taken this to another extreme and it seems set to escalate with predictable consequences.

Trump obviously has not thought about previous American actions in the past. Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq — need I say more.

Andrew Brown

Minehead

Dear Editor,

Public transport is an essential part of everyday life.

But inaccessible audio announcements, a lack of deaf awareness amongst staff and no signed information for deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users are all barriers that can lead to stress, missed journeys and seriously affect people’s confidence when using public transport.

RNID is asking people who are deaf and have hearing loss to take part in a major survey. Whether you use public transport regularly, or avoid it altogether, your answers will be invaluable and help us work with transport providers, policymakers and technology companies to push for real, lasting improvements.

The survey, which closes on April 13, is part of a major project funded by the Motability Foundation and can be accessed here: www.rnid.org.uk/transport-survey

Kind regards,

Victoria Boelman

Director of insight and policy, RNID