LIKE many other readers, I used to chuckle at some of the things John Farrer wrote - especially the way he used to point the finger at 'Brother' George Slynn, the former leader of Hyndburn Council, although some readers' hair may well have curled.

But, sad to say, not any more - after reading his second effort in two days (Letters, October 12) at plumbing the depths of political buffoonery in an attempted venomous attack on independent councillor Adrian Shurmer.

The result of the elections for Hyndburn Council last May was the worst of all worlds for any party, but the mathematical fact was that if the leader of Mr Farrer's party had not done a deal and given Councillor Shurmer seats on several council committees, then that leader would never have become leader of the council.

But in some quarters that won't be accepted, which is a great pity.

From the start, the position was made quite clear and what could have been a great experience has become nothing more than an attempted character assassination of a very honourable man, who, as an independent, has a simple motto which he will always uphold: 'To thyself be true.'

GRANVILLE BROADHURST, Sharples Street, Accrington.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.