Litter lesson

SIR, — I send my congratulations to Francis Bacon School on their recent Ofsted report (Herts Advertiser letters, March 26). However, as an ex-pupil of Francis Bacon, and after having spent two hours of my Sunday afternoon with a fellow neighbour picking

SIR, - I send my congratulations to Francis Bacon School on their recent Ofsted report (Herts Advertiser letters, March 26). However, as an ex-pupil of Francis Bacon, and after having spent two hours of my Sunday afternoon with a fellow neighbour picking up rubbish along London Road bordering Birklands Park where we live, may I make a couple of suggestions.

Firstly, a sponsored collection of rubbish would have been more effective and at least local residents would have seen a benefit. Maybe after having picked up sacks of crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, coke cans and fast food holders, they might think twice about dropping litter.

I would suggest that 90 per cent of the rubbish we collected was dropped by Francis Bacon students. My husband tried to reprimand some students he observed dropping rubbish only to be told, "that's what my Dad pays his council tax for".

In my day at Francis Bacon we were taught not to drop rubbish in the first place and secondly to respect our elders. I'm sure nothing will change and next weekend we'll be picking up the rubbish thrown over our fence into our woodland. I'll look on the positive side - at least I'm getting some exercise.

MICHAELA BARNES,

Birklands Park, St Albans.