MS Elspeth Wollen (EA, May 15) accuses Frank Avenell and myself of writing letters containing incorrect and misleading information about asylum seekers.

She may well be right, although I don't know where she gets her figures from, that only two per cent of all asylum seekers come to this country. She does, however, state that the majority of this two per cent come from Iraq, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Somalia, and that they are fleeing from repression and conflict.

Perhaps Ms Wollen will be kind enough to tell me why a person fleeing from repression does not seek refuge in the first safe haven, but prefers to travel half way across Europe to seek asylum here.

RW Selway

Stratton St Margaret