I must protest at the outrageous personal attack made against Andrew Burtenshaw by Rachel Harris (Letters, January 19).

Surely Ms Harris must realise that just because his fruit and vegetable store takes £500 per day, that is not what he earns.

Like any other business, he has to buy stock and pay rent for the site.

His profit margins are the same as any other small trader, which means if he loses three quarters of his trade, he goes out of business. If that happens, no doubt Ms Harris will start accusing him of being a sponger and a parasite for claiming unemployment pay.

How would Ms Harris feel if, after a full week's work, she was told she would not be getting any wages because of road works, over which she had no control or prior warning.

-Stuart Bower, Upper Beeding