Your story and comment about the BBC Southern Counties Radio football commentator Andrew Hawes being unwilling to sit on the fence between Brighton and Swindon, reminds me that a former sports reporter with The Argus, Jack Arlidge, also came from Wiltshire.

He was a more homely reporter when following the Albion and Sussex CCC was more congenial - but no less partisan.

Jack served us well for a long time and any links with Swindon would have been recounted with a wry smile.

I do wonder, though, whether or not the travel and weather broadcasters on local BBC radio stations are from equally far away places.

-P H Ralph, Forest Row, East Sussex