I AM at a loss to understand how a beautiful city like Worcester could have such a miserable station as Foregate Street.

Newtown is a small country town, but we have a beautiful little station with excellent facilities.

Our necessary use of Foregate Station was an horrendous experience that we will not forget. On Easter Saturday this year, we, two old ladies on the verge of 90, had to travel by train to visit a third sister of ours, also very old, in Worcester.

The steps down from the arrival platform were daunting. But the return climb was a nightmare. We assumed that there would be a lift for our return journey.

Not so - on our arrival at the ticket office we requested the lift, only to be told it was not available - no one to operate it. "If you go round the corner, you might find someone to help you," we were told.

We went searching. There was no one. The girl at the office showed no concern, and we went towards the steps with no idea about which set of steps to use. And still no help.

Of course we then chose the wrong one and arrived on the wrong side. We had to drag ourselves down, and then up again, by then ready to collapse.

How this did not happen is still beyond us. Never have we been so close to catastrophe. We have long been visitors to Worcester. But obviously, this was our last visit.

PATRICIA STANLEY,

Newtown, Powys.