WE really cannot understand all this fuss over the departure of your columnist Dick Turpin. Since we relocated to York more than two years ago from Essex, we have been avid readers of your newspaper.

During our time here neither of us could understand why you devoted a whole page to this humourless and parochial individual, who surely can only appeal to those that might "read" a national tabloid newspaper.

Although we enjoyed the article about the author Sue Townsend (June 7), we both feel that a regular, lively and humorous feature on gardening would find a far greater, and definitely more appreciative, audience with those of us who reside in this area.

Marcus and Tania Stone,

St Giles Way, Copmanthorpe, York.

Updated: 10:38 Wednesday, June 18, 2003