I am a long-standing supporter of Save the Children, but I really sometimes wonder if the Government uses this and similar charities as an excuse to do nothing for disaster relief.

The Government is sitting on a budget surplus of about ten billion pounds, we have one of the best armies and air forces in the world, yet we cannot get a single boat or a single helicopter to the flood-torn country of Mozambique.

People cling to trees and shout for help from roofs as the waters rise, and we do nothing except charter a couple of small helicopters. Our politicians are apparently immune to the suffering they see on TV.

Prayers and fine words are not enough, there must be action on the ground. Tony Blair makes me ashamed to be a British citizen.

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.