VIRTUALLY identical letters (SA, November 8 and 9) serve to reinforce concerns that we are sleepwalking into a surveillance society.

It is true that the level of intrusion is increasing and the quality of our privacy is decreasing.

There are now 4.2 million CCTV cameras in Britain - one for every 14 people in the UK.

Britain stores the most extensive DNA database on its population in the world.

One in four men could soon be included on the national DNA database, which is helping to turn Britain into a nation of suspects.

Over the past 10 years, 3.5 million DNA profiles have been collected, including 24,000 children and youths under the age of 18.

They have no automatic right to have it removed or destroyed at a later date.

Many of these people have never been convicted of a crime.

The Government still plans to introduce a new system of biometric ID cards, including biometrics - fingerprints and iris scans - linked to a database of personal information.

Big Brother society is a real issue and a real possibility.

Abiding by the law is one means of avoiding electronic tagging.

Long-term I have no desire to be implanted with a microchip or tattooed with a bar code.

N E GOUGH.

Eldene.

Swindon