THIS year, I decided to attend one of the borough's Remembrance Day services in Chingford.

By choosing the King's Head Hill memorial, I felt that it would create an idyllic village setting in this busy world.

The atmosphere was splendid, with the parade preceded by a top-quality pipe band. The church parade led by the choir presented no less a symbolic feature of the day's purpose.

However, once gathered together on the small south-west corner of the road junction with the sermon in progress, all peace was shattered.

It wasn't an impatient car driver, but one of those rare machines a council gutter sweeper.

Given that I think Waltham Forest only possesses two of them, why on earth did it need to be beside Chingford's war memorial at that precise time, and on a Sunday? More importantly, why was the operator so intent on disturbing the proceedings with the whining noise of the machine?

I trust that a public apology will be forthcoming from the head of services.

KEITH FOSTER, Farnan Avenue,

Walthamstow.