In defence of the magpie, mooted as England’s national bird (Letters, 19 March), they do not only fill their nests with “cheap gaudy tat”. A few years ago, one made a vigorous attempt to steal a perfectly tasteful and quite expensive gold bracelet from me. Unfortunately, I was wearing it at the time. Full marks for chutzpah, though.
Judith Mackinlay
Manchester
• In a less politically correct era when hospital letters were never seen by the patient (Letters, 20 March ), a consultant referred to my patient as “a jumped up little bank manager”. One can only look back with nostalgia at those days of such fearless literary freedom.
Dr Maureen Tilford
Norwich
• East Manchester was cool and gloomy Friday morning with too many people looking at the Sun. No change there…
Fr Alec Mitchell
Manchester
