How unfortunate for David Heathcoat-Amory to have such an unglamorous claim to get caught out on.

Swimming pools, moats, tennis courts and silk sheets are so much more glitzy than manure, though at least that is environmentally friendly and improving the soil.

But it does lead easily to eye-catching headlines and cartoons.

Let his Wells constituency remember what a good MP he is. Brean, Berrow and Burnham can be thankful to him for support for the anti-Brean-Lavernock Point Barrage scheme, the Coast Road footpath and the swimming pool and many other projects which he has fought for in his constituency.

He has worked hard, is approachable and always pleasant and polite and listens and researches carefully.

In this very unpleasant set of revelations many MPs appear to have been thoroughly corrupt though all blame the system and claim they were exercising their rights.

David is the second lowest claimant in the South West and is very apologetic for his bad decision.

Let us not hold this against him but hope that very soon there will be a rapid change in the ridiculous loopholes allowed in the "claims" system.

V Joan Jackman

South Road

Brean