I think Angela Rowland (Letters, October 5) is getting a little confused. She claims those who didn't want a stadium at Falmer were not given the chance to vote in the referendum on the subject.

The referendum was held in May 1999 alongside council elections, suggesting that those who voted in the referendum possessed some sort of link to Brighton and Hove.

The results (in case Angela has forgotten) were 56,701 (83.5 per cent of voters) in favour of a stadium, with 44,985 (67.6 per cent of voters) then stating their support for a stadium located in the field opposite the A27.

While it may have taken me a number of years to obtain a GCSE in maths, I do have sufficient knowledge of the subject to know that 84.5 per cent and 67.6 per cent of 100 per cent cannot be accurately described as a "small proportion".

These results would also suggest that 32.4 per cent of voters managed to locate and mark the box that was headed by the word "no".

The existence of this box would suggest there was an option available to those residents who would rather not see a stadium constructed on a muddy field next to a railway line, two university sites and a dual carriageway to register their disapproval.

As far as I can recall, I do not remember any uniformed heavies present outside the polling booths, or populist politicians intimidating voters into voting "yes".

Nor do I recall any Mugabe-style vote rigging. I can only come to the conclusion that there are more residents of this city who would like a stadium to be built at Falmer than there are who would not.

Patrick Balchin

-Wilmington Close, Hassocks