People living in Wiltshire have it from the very top that they will be listened to before any decision is made on the future of RAF Lyneham.

The Gazette made the most of a visit to the county by defence minister Geoff Hoon and presented him with a dossier of evidence outlining why Lyneham should stay open.

He, in turn, pledged to listen to all the arguments before coming to a decision later this year.

Let's hope Mr Hoon is true to his word and listens to the compelling reasons for why the RAF camp should remain. He must realise that the RAF's presence in this part of the county adds a huge amount to its economy and the camp's closure would be a dreadful loss.