I was appalled to read Ms Livingstone's view of 'suicide attempts' (Letters, May 20). She suggested people who have reached the depths of hopelessness and despair were somehow not 'respectable' and lumped them in with 'this lot' of undesirables such as murderers and child-abusers.

Those of us who have not had to endure the pain which can drive people to attempt suicide should react empathically to those who have, rather than sitting in judgement on them.

Mrs V Markham,

Keble Gardens,

Bishopthorpe,

York.

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