With a recent murder case on television, the police were asking for information but no telephone or contact information was given.

I thought I might know something and called the Sussex Police non-emergency phone number, where I was told I needed the Metropolitan Police and was given another number.

The first lady was out of her depth and transferred me to a man who listened and then told me I needed either the Dorset or Devon Police.

I was given the Dorchester Police number and was told there I needed the Metropolitan Police.

Getting a bit uptight, I said I had just spent ten minutes with the Met and did they want the information or not?

They did. Out of the four people I spoke to, only one asked for my name and phone number and I paid for all the phone calls.

I wonder how much information is lost in this quagmire and whether my message ever arrived in the department that requested it?

In 170 years of experience and with the marvels of modern communication, I would have thought such bugs in the police force would have been ironed out by now.

-V J Harman, Hove