February 27, 2001 10:52: I AM writing to you after reading the article in Midweek regarding the gentleman who apparently took his life from a motorway bridge in Stokenchurch.

I cannot believe the statement that Councillor Chris Elliott has made and find his comments totally offensive. He expressed concern for his children but has he stopped to think if this poor gentleman who died had children as well?

He may well live in a nice area and for this he should consider himself fortunate, and I have no problem with him wanting to keep it this way, but to say that "people hanging off bridges does not help" is totally inconsiderate to the family and totally offensive to every other decent person reading this article. As a councillor surely he is supposed to be a caring figure in his community, not only for the environment, but also for the people in it.

Being so concerned about his daughters is also admirable but isn't he worried they will grow up exposed to the lack of compassion to fellow human beings that their father appears to have shown?

Laura Barton, Hawksmoor Close, Downley