I NOTE with some interest one of the 'great train robbers,' Ronnie Biggs, is very ill in Norwich Hospital. I wish him well. As I recall the sum insolved was about £3million. Lord knows how much the police spent chasing this man around Brazil, which was another extended holiday for them.

I also note the gruesome foursome banking executives who have removed in excess of £10million into their own personal slush funds. The police have said no investigation will be carried out, which smells like muck spreading time on the farm. Of course they should be investigated and their illgotten gails confiscated and handed back to public coffers from whence it came.

This should happen even if they have it stowed away in the Cayman Islands. David Cameron should force the issue if he is sincere about leadership qualities.

I will also re-echo my comments to Mark Har­per MP regarding the Forest of Dean District Council planning department. It is his duty to be involved in planning issues and to represent the people of the Forest of Dean.

His comments are that the Conservative Parlia­mentary Party does not recommend involvement in local planning issues. Can Mark advise me on this issue, its origin, and who wrote it and when, as I must confess I have looked in vain.

I do read Mark's local newspaper column and find it as interesting as watching grass grow. One Conservative told me he works his little cotton socks off. How sad.

But if he is short of socks, I've got a couple of pairs he can have. – Mike Meredith-Edwards, Sling.

Shopping in Cinderford

IN reply to the letter headed 'Calling the tune.' I was born and bred in Cinderford, just below the police station.

What a thriving town it was, as I said in a previous letter.

I have watched it deteriorate over the years. I can still name every shop in the town, but all we have these days is charity shops and take-aways. A shop opened recently next to Mr Jackson, the butcher. It wasn't open for more than a few weeks.

Which brings me to the County Store. We desperately need Tesco. The prices at the County Store are astronomical. As the person said, as long as it remains without competition Cinder­ford will never thrive. They have had the monopoly for too long! – C. Fawlk, Forest Road, Cinderford.