In the Adver on Saturday April 7, there was an item in which Swindon was described as ugly and average. Yes, I will go along with ugly, although I think that average is perhaps a shade too generous.

It’s ugly because successive councils have sought to change Swindon by knocking down buildings that should have been restored for use and posterity.

One that springs to mind is the Old Market, a Victorian building that was never going to fall down. It had supporting columns of cast iron and either a cast iron roof supporting structure or perhaps it was wrought iron. You can see how strong it was by looking at how long it took the company given the job of demolishing it.

This could have been refurbished and a mezzanine floor put in and opened once again as Swindon’s Market. But no, we had to have a tent city. What a joke that has been.

Do other towns do this sort of thing, knock down useful buildings? Not if they are successful.

The new buildings we are in the process of erecting are not attractive. In fact they will be the eyesores of the future. Take a 40-mile radius of Swindon and look at other towns and cities.

They all look better than ours currently does. We have a wreck in the centre of Swindon called the Mechanics Institute. A wonderful building that served Swindon well for a very long time. Look at it today!

Give the public a greater say in what is to be built in the town. They got it right with the library, it looks nice and it’s functional. So do it with other things.

David Collins Blake Crescent Swindon

Not proud boyos

Despite my age and gender I have a passion for sport, which includes Swindon Town Football Club, Swindon Robins speedway and Swindon Wildcats ice hockey. They all float my boat.

I was as peeved as anyone else when Swindon Town failed to win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at Wembley, but is it not a minor miracle that women are interested in such a sexist sport as football? I think so.

Since Wembley we have heard of the death of manager Paolo Di Canio’s mother. I offer my sincere condolences to Paolo and know the world is a better place because of Paolo’s mother and her son.

We Welshwomen and Welshmen have what we call a hwyl. Look it up in a dictionary.

However, I wish to distance myself from some Welshmen who have brought Wales into disrepute. Firstly, the stupid drunken Swansea student who abused Fabrice Muamba on Twitter and was subsequently jailed.

Secondly, the racist Barmouth male, who abused Patrice Evra at Liverpool FC. Thirdly, the drunken antics of Cardiff Blues supposed superstar Gavin Henson on an aeroplane. What an idiot he is, endangering others lives.

The common link of course is alcohol abuse. Wales is a proud nation and it is sad when sheep like these men disgrace our heritage.

Ms A Reeve Okus Road Swindon

Stop disaster

I want to draw Adver readers’ attention to an unfolding humanitarian crisis that is going largely unnoticed by the world. In West Africa, over 10.5 million people are running out of food and starvation is imminent. While no amount of funding can make the rain fall in the region, there is still time to minimise the devastation by helping families to prepare for this emergency and stop them running out of food completely.

I support CARE International UK, which has been working in the region for many years and is working to stop this turning into a humanitarian catastrophe while raising the alarm about the situation.

I urge your readers to help - please visit www.careinternational.org.uk/west-africa and make a donation, however small.

It is a well known fact that every £1 invested in avoiding disaster at an early stage saves at least £4 that would be spent on disaster relief at a later stage.

That is a good reason to act now, but the real reason to take action has to be that we have it in our power stop the suffering of children who, through no fault of their own face increasing hunger and starvation in the coming months.

Responding now will save money, but more importantly, it will save lives.

Ms J Wilton Joiner Lane Swindon

Destroy them

I CANNOT believe that we are going to feed a monster who can gouge a young woman’s eyes out.

This beast, along with murderers, child molesters, rapists and the like, should be destroyed, instead of the taxpayer giving them food and accommodation until they are released to do the same again.

Now sit back and watch the so called do-gooders come out of the woodwork.

John Currie South Drive Swindon