THANK you for publishing details of my troubles with the Trustees of the Buchanan Trust Estate at Bosbury (Ledbury Reporter, June 28). I appreciate your fair and balanced coverage, however, I am concerned that, as this issue is very complex, and that some details in your story were incorrect that readers may be left with the wrong impression of my dilemma.

First, there are four dairy farms on the Buchanan Trust Estate, which is a registered charity. Three of these holdings are farmed by tenants who have not served with HM forces.

I have no quarrel with my neighbours, however, the Trustees have seen fit to provide them with significantly more milk quota than I have.

Indeed, the difference between my holding and that of my nearest neighbour amounts to an extra £35,000 that I have had to spend in the past five years on quota rental. Furthermore, for the first three years of my tenure I paid the highest rent of any holding on the estate. It is my opinion that I have been discriminated against.

Your story stated that I requested £40,000 be spent on my holding per year, this is incorrect. Up to £40,000 could be spent by the Trustees on purchasing quota as a one off payment. This would be the acquisition of an asset with a resaleable value and would still belong to the Trust.

To put the financial matters in perspective; the Trustees sold redundant farm buildings off the estate for just under £500,000 last year.

The Trust has ample funds, which are only available for expenditure on the Trust, yet Mr Thomas refuses to use any of these funds to assist an ex-serviceman (for whom the estate was originally created).

Coun Thomas states that all dairy farmers are "under the cosh" yet he seems unwilling to give an ex-serviceman equal treatment to that offered to non ex-servicemen tenants! Why? Coun Thomas stated that he had no legal obligations to assist ex-servicemen. I would suggest that, especially after September 11 and considering the close association that Hereford has with 22 Sqn, he should certainly reconsider.

I do not claim to be a hero, but I have served my country and I suggest that Coun Thomas should certainly feel some moral obligation to give me treatment that is equal to that given to other tenants who have not served in HM Forces.

JOHN BARRON, Bosbury.