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Money over sense

THE risk of flooding and more traffic congestion are valid concerns to the proposed development of 400 homes to built on the railway embankment between Dean Street and Wootton Bassett Road. It would take a brave surveyor to pass this development as 100% risk free.

In Victorian times many earthworks were constructed without the modern knowledge of soil mechanics and material behaviour. An engineering report says that many 19th century railway embankments such as this can’t be treated as textbook cases when considering upgrades and improvements. In those days there was less standardisation in method and materials that would be found in modern engineering practice.

With all the current evidence with climate change having an adverse effect on these Victorian built structures, it’s incomprehensible to think pile-driving and drilling into this artificial embankment - which carries a main railway line and straddles one of Swindon’s main water courses; which incidentally is prone to flooding which may become worse when the Wichelstow development is completed.

I think the financial incentive is clouding sound judgment.

William Abraham, Rodbourne

Muzzle your dogs

I HAVE every sympathy for Lorraine Langley and Ruby for the unfortunate incident with the kebab stick and I am 100% sure this sort of thing is not a one off. Dogs, by nature and instinct, will sniff out anything that has a nice smell to it and eat it.

In my eyes there is a simple way to stop this sort of thing happening when in a public space - put a muzzle on your dogs when off the lead. This will stop them eating not just kebab sticks, but anything else that may harm them.

John L Crook, Haydon Wick

Thanks for support

My good lady passed away over a week ago, after a brave hard unwinnable fight against Alzheimer’s, a terminal disease. This spanned over two years of mild symptoms and four years of serious decline.

Two of my four sons helped to support me in her final moments. With my other two sons and daughter, who, due to normal every day commitments, were not present at the time, they have insisted that I write these sincere words from the bottom of my heart and soul on behalf of us all.

To all the fine ladies from the hospice, who attended her decline in our living room in a hospital bed through night and day for eight days; to the nurses male and female who attended her personal hygiene as she faded away; to the district nurses who administered injections to relieve her suffering; to our local General Practitioners who came at a moment’s notice, disregarding their heavy workload - thank you.

May I give my apologies to the hospice carers who sat with me until nearly dawn so she was never left alone as she neared her final moments. God bless you all.

Bill Williams, Merlin Way, Covingham