SOMEONE recently suggested that Christopher Wardell should have a column of his own in The Northern Echo.

Judging by the number of letters bearing his name it almost seems that he is one of the staff already.

I would like to support Dave Cook, and other contributors, who in the past have seem fit to criticise Mr Wardell’s efforts, not so much for the volume, but the sheer inanity of the content such as leaving carrots for aliens and sensing the presence of ghosts, and UFOs.

In closing may I add a bit of my own humour. I consider that Mr Wardell’s contributions are, to use a Spoonerism, lie and barge, a road of clap.

Bill Callen, Richmond.

DAVID COOK’S fears have proved to be well founded, his attempt to stem the flow of Christopher Wardell’s letters has proved to be counterproductive (HAS, June 20).

I’ve been reluctant to join this particular debate but in his latest letter to HAS (June 21) I feel that Mr Wardell has been guilty of exactly the fault he finds in Mr Cook’s criticism of his own letters. One person’s yawn-inducing outburst is someone else’s ripping yarn.

Humour, particularly in the written form, is subjective and it’s obvious that the two correspondents do not share the same comic tastes.

Personally, I’m with Mr Cook in this debate as I find Mr Wardell’s letters to be tiresome and self-indulgent. Mr Wardell would seem to be one of those awful people always imploring other to “cheer up, it may never happen”, little realising that for some people it already has.

If I read one more of his letters about mushrooms or UFOs I’ll throw myself around the floor in a tantrum. I have floor space reserved for this very purpose.

VJ Connor, Bishop Auckland