REGARDING Mr Hartell's letter in reply to mine in which I compared Lowestoft unfavourably with Weston, I'm afraid he has either not lived there

REGARDING Mr Hartell's letter in reply to mine in which I compared Lowestoft unfavourably with Weston, I'm afraid he has either not lived there for a while, or is wearing rose-coloured specs. Not only did I live for 10 years in the Kirkley district, a notorious black spot for crime, drugs and alcohol abuse, but I was an interviewer on Lowestoft's streets for 22 years, conducting opinion polls and market research, and feel that I am more qualified than most to comment on the true state of the place I was happy to call 'my town' since 1984.I know nothing about insurance ratings, but wonder if the low level mentioned by Mr Hartell would refer to Kirkley? I think not! In response to P J Main's comment that North Suffolk came top of the poll for British beaches, that award went to the cliquey, oh-so-posh town of Southwold, which in no way could be called a true holiday resort.V BENDELL - Walliscote Road, Weston