WE often read complaints in your readers' letters about the amount of litter in the streets of Ledbury and how it is not being cleared up quickly enough. What I would like to ask is why the litter is there in the first place?

It is there because people don't think twice about throwing things on the ground rather than finding a litter bin. A few days ago I saw a pupil of the John Masefield School throw a banana skin - of all things - on the pavement near the school. When I remonstrated with her and asked why she didn't put it in the litter bin she simply said "Where is it then?" - in spite of the fact that it was clearly visible only a few yards away.

The answer is in upbringing and education. At home and at school, children need to be taught a few basic rules about civilised living. If our standard of education is rising, as recent research seems to show, it is still clearly deficient in the important subject of civic pride.

LYSBETH JAMES, Magistrate's Court, Ledbury.