HOW I sympathise with Peter Barron (From the Editor’s Chair, Echo, Feb 3). I bought a pair of shoes from a well known manufacturer which I kept to wear on those rare occasions when I have to wear a suit.

Carefully kept in their box, they looked brand new and were only worn about five times when the soles cracked in half.

Fortunately I had not left home when this happened.

I sent a complaint to the manufacturer who replied that as the shoes were more than six years old, they would do nothing about my misfortune. They claimed the composite soles deteriorate after six years and fall apart.

However, I wonder why the hiking boots I have been wearing for nearly 20 years and some cheaper German shoes are still going strong? Is it that this company chooses to use cheaper materials or is it planned obsolescence to sell more shoes?

I also wish Michael Gove good luck making children pick up litter. It must be 40 years since I caught a boy dropping litter in the school corridor and made him clean the whole corridor.

Next day I had a visit from an irate and abusive mother who told me her son was not the caretaker and it must never happen again.

I think today I would be in court for embarrassing her child in front of his peers and no doubt he would be awarded substantial damages.

Tom Cooper, Durham City