AS a relative newcomer to Hereford I have been caught out' by street fairs in both Hereford and Leominster and have been appalled by the noise, diesel fumes and disruption to normal town centre activities caused by them.

That the larger attractions in such confined areas pass health and safety guidelines amazes me and I, for one, as a relatively fit adult, certainly felt anything but safe passing near them.

I wholeheartedly agree with Martin Woodhouse from M&S and I feel strongly that these fairs are now inappropriate in town or city centres. I am sure that in days gone by they were fun' fairs for all the family but now the major part of the fair would appeal to only a very small percentage while disadvantaging a far larger proportion.

Where was the panache described by Mr Boswell of the Showmen's Guild? What I saw was tacky', and what I heard was prolonged offensive verbal abuse, in both language and content, conducted within a cordoned area by an official with clipboard' on two distressed fairground workers with little command of the English language. It seemed to me to be a fair without flair spoiling the environment.

I have been impressed by the efforts of Herefordshire Council to make improvements to the city centre. Maybe a next big improvement should be to move the fairground to a ground' more appropriate to modern times.

Mrs M Hopkins, Quarry Cottage, Withington.