I WAS shocked to read in your edition of January 1 that 63 persons had been charged with offences of drunkenness and various forms of anti-social behaviour in the Marlborough area over the Christmas period!

It seems to me that such goings on indicate a society on the brink of breakdown and a district in which old people and women can surely scarcely dare to go out at night.

The only consolation that I can find is that this was a report from 1903. (From the Files.)

I would be interested to read the equivalent figure for 2003. I would put money on it being less than a quarter of that level.

C NANCARROW

Back Lane

Marlborough