SIR: Being the mother of one of the young men in the photograph that seems to have caused offence to a few people, I will tell you what this parent thinks. I think that the people who have written complaining must be very sad people.

The lads were raising money for another young man who had died from cancer. You have to do something in the way they did, as there are not many people who would have donated money, just by someone rattling a tin.

There were lots of people in the towncentre that night, who had gone just to support the lads.

As for the photo being offensive, it must be their minds, as I have seen more nudity on TV and on the beach. Good luck to the lads, at least they are not robbing houses, stealing cars, or mugging old ladies. Maybe a donation instead of a letter would have been more appropriate.

I cannot see why Sally Johnson thought it necessary to mention Gays in Blackpool, which has no relevance whatsoever with this event.

Mrs B Gardner, Clarke Street, Bolton

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