I NOTED the letter in defence of the Marcia at Bishopthorpe (August 29) and would like to add my own experience of their staff.

On October 31 last year, we were driving towards Bishopthorpe at around 9pm having just rescued what belongings we could from rapidly rising flood waters at our home in Bolton Percy.

The house was two feet under when we had to leave. A mobile phone call to the Marcia requesting a room for the night resulted in the landlady dropping everything she was doing at a very busy time to make ready a lovely room for the three of us at very short notice.

We have never been made more welcome in our lives.

The three days we spent enjoying the beautiful food and exceptional friendliness of all the staff turned one of the most distressing periods of our lives into one of the happiest.

David, Julia and Gareth Tomlinson,

Vine Court,

Bolton Percy.

Updated: 14:06 Friday, August 31, 2001