PHIL WIGHAM comments on the vandalism seen on his 13-mile ride over the Bank Holiday weekend (HAS, May 4).

On Bank Holiday Monday, I walked to our local paper shop, usually a pleasant 15 minute walk, mainly off-road, I saw several discarded tins and bottles together with five patches of broken bottle-glass. The nearby bus stand had two panels of toughened glass shattered – this takes some effort as they are strong like some car glass.  None of this was there on the Saturday morning.

On returning, about 20 minutes later, a pair of council workmen were clearing up the bus stand and the nearby road (full marks to Durham County Council, dealing with it so quickly on a Bank Holiday). I spoke to the workmen who said that it was due to “happy Sunday” and it was commonplace for a bank holiday.

In my working days, I used to travel a lot in Northern Europe. I don’t recall ever seeing this sort of vandalism, graffiti was rare. Are we looking at some sort of local “English disease” whose sufferers delight in causing others distress?

Can anyone explain to me how people get pleasure from such actions. Is it that they don’t like to see a place tidy or is it something deeper?

Anthony Foster, Peterlee