I AM absolutely staggered at some of the letters that the Swindon Advertiser sees fit to publish.

The paper has recently given considerable coverage to the BNP and its supporters, and now it continues to print letters from xenophobic, hysterical, armchair fascists.

It is the duty of the free press to publish a balance of opinions.

I am sure that well-thought out, structured, and coherent discussion on immigration and the state of Britain's increasingly multi-cultural society are welcomed by all quarters.

However, letters from characters like Steve Nibbs (Letters May 29) creating ill-thought out links between the water crisis and immigration are extremist, idiotic and should have no forum for public consumption.

My family fought in the Second World War to ensure Britain and the rest of the world would be free from this sort of dangerous rhetoric.

It is a shame that the lessons learnt then have now been so easily forgotten.

I Garrett.

Swindon