WHY did it come as such a shock and surprise to your staff that no one over a certain age would dream of wandering around town at night?

You must have mothers and older relatives who do not lead an exciting night life because they do not go out after 4pm in the winter and a little later in the summer. It has been like that for years in every city, not just Swindon. I am not a frail little flower, I was on the buses for 12 years but that was a few years ago when people did not behave like animals.

Now I like to be behind my locked door after dark. It is a disgrace that we are turned into prisoners in our own homes and I think that unless the desire for drink and drugs is curbed things will get worse. It is not an unfounded fear, we see incidents every night so don't assume that it is cowardice that keeps decent people indoors, we aren't a cowardly generation. Knives in pockets and drug-fuelled rage is not something you expose yourself to if you have any sense.

J GIBBARD

Medgbury Road, Swindon