I RECENTLY visited my 92-year-old mother-in-law in Darlington and was horrified to read a letter she had just received from Virgin Media. Dated March 2009, she was being informed of all the good things which Virgin Media had to offer.

Included in the list was the fact that customers who didn’t choose to pay by ebill were going to be penalised with an extra monthly payment of £1.25 per month for paper bills.

To Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson, £1.25 per month may seem no great deal, but to an elderly pensioner whose income is limited – and who doesn’t own a computer or understand the technicalities of Broadband and the internet – this is an not inconsiderable sum and an extra unnecessary burden and worry.

My mother-in-law is a great fan of The Northern Echo and reads it from cover to cover each day. Is not this totally unfair penalty charge – a tax on the poorer members of our society by a major corporation – something that the Echo could take up and fight on behalf of its elderly readers? I’m sure there would be many who would be most grateful for your efforts.

Peter Armon, Brighton, East Sussex.