SIR — When I read the latest contribution from your resident Woodcombe complainant (Your Letters July 15), I did not know whether to erupt in an outburst of righteous indignation or shake my head in resignation that someone could be so small-minded and lacking in better things to do than write in along those lines.

Your correspondent, whilst choosing on this occasion to hide behind the pseudonym 'Wilting' has, I believe, complained about the occasional motorcycle sport at Bratton, the much appreciated voluntary efforts of the well-meaning good citizen who maintains our verges and, more bizarrely, that there were too many daffodils in Minehead this spring! Not to mention anyone who uses a strimmer.

For the record, that Sunday afternoon we held a small lunch party in our ample garden to celebrate my 70th birthday the previous day.

The guests were my immediate family, including my perfectly well behaved grandchildren, and half a dozen senior citizens who were stopping over in Minehead.

We simply enjoyed an al fresco lunch and sat around chatting in a perfectly civilised manner enjoying the company, whilst at one point for a few minutes the children played a game of tag rugby organised by a professional coach.

Perhaps if 'Wilting' had climbed a bit higher to find a better vantage point to spy on us, she would have been better informed.

We made a conscious decision not to play any music that might possibly have caused inconvenience to those around us and did no more than countless other family groups would have been doing up and down the country, spending our day off enjoying the facilities for which we have worked hard all week to provide.

What a contrast to the warm good wishes I received at my main party at Minehead Barbarians Rugby Club the day before, when some 150 friends, relations and clubmates combined to give me a special day to be proud of, with two bands, a bouncy castle and Punch and Judy show. Loads of happy children and a great atmosphere.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make it a very special day.

I had some super presents but sadly I did not get a strimmer. Perhaps I should put one on my list for next time when, if we get a slightly smaller bouncy castle, we could put the whole thing on in our well-strimmed garden and let all our neighbours join in the fun!

The Puritans lost their influence following the Reformation in 1660. This is 2011. Get a life!

Graham Lawrence,

Woodcombe,

Minehead.