I HAVE received a bill for six months' services from Severn Trent for £110.15, an increase of 34 per cent on the previous six months. The rate of inflation is, I believe, about two per cent.

There is a note on the back of this infamous document: "Surface water drainage - you may be able to reduce your water charges if rain and water that falls on your property does not drain into a public sewer". This sounds to me like a suggestion to householders that they invoke some kind of Third World shanty town "technology" for their abodes! Also, we are told that we can pay at a paypoint. Of course, as usual, there is no such facility at Worcester.

I am nearly 87 years of age. I remember when water charges were about six shillings (30 pence in modern money) on the end of the general rates bill! The longer I go on, the more fed up I get with these modern times. Better to go to prison than pay this bill.

DE MARGRETT,

Worcester.