THE Transit of Venus exhibition is hailed as a success in your paper.

It therefore seems extraordinary that a once-in-a-lifetime event such as this was preceded by drastic cuts in opening hours at Astley Hall and the making redundant, on the eve of the opening of the exhibition, of the two museum officers who had done all the work of preparing the exhibition.

Chorley could have been even more "put on the map" had the hall been open to visitors during the week, especially in the school holidays. The staff so callously dismissed after all their dedicated work in co-ordinating the project and tracking down material for the exhibition, including moon rock, would have been an asset in providing information to visitors and to school parties who would surely have benefited.

Yet these two officers, professionals in their fields, have not been given so much as a mention in any article or glossy brochure on the subject. Plenty of others seem prepared however to take the credit!!!

Betty Everson, Chairman of the Friends of Astley Hall (one of the partners in the Transit of Venus project), The Farthings, Astley Park, Chorley.