Word of praise

As the only things one hears about Social Services seem to be bad, I would like to give a few words of praise. After my 94-year-old mother had a fall in September last year, they went out of their way to make her life as comfortable as possible with various items of equipment which were made available as soon as they were needed. Unfortunately, she had another fall, and, mainly due to the help and advice from Social Services is now resident in a nursing home in Beckenham where she can be looked after close to me.

J C Hughes

Hillcrest Road

Bromley

School debate

I am writing to object to C Lydon's letter entitled "Bigoted Views" (News Shopper, November 14). The writer asks whether the petitioners would have the same view if the proposals came from a Christian denominational School. Several years ago, Mead Road Infants School, a state school, tried to expand by just three classrooms. This was turned down because it is on Green Belt land. Why should a privately run school, regardless of its religion, have preferential treatment over the state schools in Chislehurst?

J GARDNER

Address Supplied

Costly advice

On November 21 at about 10am, I parked my car in Elmfield Road. A traffic warden told me I could not park in that bay and showed me a bay further down the road. I parked where he told me to, thanking him for his help. When I returned, I found a ticket on the windscreen, for parking in a suspended bay! Although the ticket machine further up the road was covered, there was no sign on any of the bays showing they were suspended. I suppose I shall have to pay the fine but I wondered whether any of your other readers had experienced similar entrapment by wardens?

Margaret Clements

Ravensbourne Avenue

Shortlands

More police

I am writing to support the request for an increased police force in Bromley, Orpington and surrounding areas. We definitely need more police, I feel, especially on the beat, walking the streets, not necessarily dealing purely with motorists, but observing the troubled areas to improve everybody's quality of life.

J L Day

Sevenoaks Way

Orpington

December 5, 2001 02:06