Eats shoots and leaves buds shredded

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/apr/09/eats-shoots-leaves-parakeets-times-lockout-archers

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In all the recent debates about housing, zero hours and the economy, we have rarely heard the voice of the TUC. Have the mainstream media now officially deemed it persona non grata?Paul TattamTeignmouth, Devon

• Alastair Niven’s fine obituary of Ion Trewin (9 April) was marred by the slipshod reference to “the year of the strike that put the Times out of action for several months [in 1979]”. The Times was off the streets from December 1978 until mid-November 1979 but, in spite of constantly being described as a “strike”, it was a management lockout.Jacob Ecclestone(Father of the Times NUJ chapel 1975-81) Diss, Norfolk

• I was depressed to see the glorious blossom share the front page photograph with one of those vile green parakeets that blight our parks and gardens (7 April). Were you to reveal the ground below the branches in the photo, we’d see it covered in torn-off blossom shoots. Further inspection of the park would probably reveal young leaves and shoots ripped from budding horse chestnut trees. In May, oaks will suffer the same destruction. When they’re not wrecking park trees, those parakeets devour garden bird food, scaring off small birds in the process. They shriek and wreck their way around south London. Can we start a campaign to cull them please?Patricia GoldingLondon

• Much though I enjoyed Mark Lawson’s piece (Missing in action, G2, 8 April) concerning characters who actually never appear in contemporary film and plays, despite being important parts of the narrative, I was surprised that he did not deem it fit to mention the (presumably) fabulous Sabrina Thwaite from The Archers. Now that Freda Fry is sadly no longer with us, she is surely the most enigmatic and compelling character in contemporary drama.Andrew SuttonIlminster, Somerset

• One of my most treasured and recent memories was being called “Miss Bruv” by a teenage lad in a secure children’s home (Letters, 9 April).Penny SnookNewark, Lincolnshire