RE Colin Jones’ letter regarding littering by youths (HAS, April 16). It is not just the young who leave litter as the following almost heart-warming litter story shows.

A number of years ago, two old married friends, Steve and Elsie, set off for the Northumberland coast in their old, but sparkling VW Beetle. On their way back to Durham they stopped in Whitley Bay for an ice cream and as they were both smokers, they also had a cigarette each.

The packet was then empty and Steve wound down his window and threw the empty packet on to the prom. An old, very well dressed lady was walking her Yorkshire Terrier along the prom and she approached the packet, creaked down to pick it up and said to Steve: “You have dropped this.”

Steve answered: “Oh, I don’t want it.” The old lady casually flicked it inside his car and said: “Neither does Whitley Bay…”

Steve and Elsie were so shocked and embarrassed that Steve actually drove back up the coast instead of home. He told me this story and I am sure they never ever dropped litter again.

They are no longer with us, but I am sure they will not mind me telling this story.

Malcolm Rolling, Carrville, Durham.