I would like to respond to your article regarding graffiti.

Firstly I will tell you I am 22 years old, and I have no criminal convictions, and a very good education.

I would like to ask why you believe that graffiti is "vandalism", "anti-social" and "criminal".

The reason being is, if there are places for those who wish to express their art, then it is not vandalism nor is it criminal. How is it anti-social if various artists group together to show each other's work or create a bigger piece?

This is one definition of visual art:

The visual arts are art forms which focus on the creation of works that are primarily visual.

Therefore, graffiti would be classed as this, and not "criminal, anti-social or vandalism" as you state.

I myself like to view many graffitists' artwork, and find it very fascinating as do many other people.

You are one of those who are very small-minded, and associate something which you see as out of the ordinary with youths who commit crime, which is absolutely wrong.

As for the mentioning of "firebugs" being encouraged to set wheelie bins alight, is taking this out of proportion. As I'm sure your well educated self would realise, playing with fire is much more dangerous than creating visual art.

Oh I will mention Bansky, as he is someone who organises festivals and therefore bringing communities together.

And why would you come round and spray "you're wrong" on my garage door? To me that is contradictory, as you are claiming it is "criminal and anti-social". Surely someone who writes for the ET should not participate in criminal activities.

Perhaps you should take a course in social studies, and art, and maybe your small-minded brain will open up to the bigger picture, meaning, that there are many more arts than just old fashioned watercolour painting.
Matthew Farrugia

MP doesn't represent three villages
As the ex-Councillor for the Eye and Thorney Ward, I feel I must respond to the letter you printed in Monday's Evening Telegraph, from Stewart Jackson, MP for Peterborough.

Your readers may not be aware that Eye, Thorney and Newborough are currently within the Parliamentary constituency of North East Cambridgeshire, whose MP is Malcolm Moss, not Stewart Jackson.

Only at the next general election will these villages become part of the Parliamentary constituency of Peterborough. Until then Mr Jackson does not represent these villages. This is a fact he and other members of the Peterborough Conservative Association had conveniently failed to remember during the recent local council election.

I would like to thank all the villagers of Eye and Thorney who supported me over the 22 years I represented them on Peterborough City Council.
John Bartlett,
Ash Close,
Thorney,
near Peterborough

Thanks for your honesty
To the good samaritan, you know who you are. Thank you so much for handing my handbag in to Tesco security at Hampton yesterday (May 12).

I am very very grateful and you have restored my faith in human kind.

Please, please, please could you feature this on your letters page as a thankyou to the very honest individual who handed in my handbag, which I stupidly left hanging over the trolley handle in the car-park.
Mrs Long

Wishbone Ash gig was truly memorable event
I TOOK this photograph of Wishbone Ash, who played at Bourne Corn Exchange on Saturday, May 3.

They spent two hours solid playing old and new tunes with original member Andy Powell on vocals.

It was a full house – no tickets were left on the door. It was nice to see an audience of all ages enjoying the band's last gig before heading off to the States to play the following evening. It was truly a memorable event.
CLARE DUNKLEY
Mayor's Walk,
Peterborough