I THINK J R Uttley is a townie (Letters, December 16). Who does he think produces his potatoes, his wheat for his bread?

The farmer does not have five weeks' holidays a year, does not have Bank Holidays, does not have long weekends.

A farmer's job is 365 days a year, summer, winter, it doesn't matter what the weather is, a farmer has got to be there all the time.

I am not a farmer myself, but I did spend some time on a farm and this guy wants to stop and think about what he has got to live on if it wasn't for farmers.

A lot of farmers are going down the nick and that is why they are selling farms off.

The way things are at the minute I think if this guy had the chance of £500,000 for his house he would say the same.

JED JOHNSON, Carnaervon Avenue, Burnley.

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