SIR: I would like to thank the Bolton Leisure Service Department for giving me great amusement by their notion of walks throughout the town.

April 1st would have been more suitable for the start. It would make a marvellous cartoon feature with the valiant fully trained, examined, and registered guide complete with blue badge leading the poor group along. They will need to be clutching a first aid kit, as well as a camera ready to take photographic evidence of injuries received whilst viewing our rich heritage of buildings? It is nigh on impossible to negotiate the damaged flagstones that abound everywhere, and never seem to be repaired until some unfortunate walker has a bad fall. In my own household several frail and aged tenants have suffered damaged limbs etc. The effrontery of the suggestion that the walking wounded should pay makes the mind boggle. In the words of Victor Meldrew, I don't believe it. Get real, and think again? Either do some walking and discover the plight of those without a car, and the disabled or abandon the fantasy.

Mrs Joan Foster

Jubilee house,

Moor Lane, Bolton

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.