AS much as I love reading the Echo, I sometimes despair at the amount of crime, vandalism, and animal cruelty in our region.

So how uplifting to read about the three friends from Richmond who rescued the young chiffchaffs and spent many hours hand-rearing them followed by a successful release. I’d like to thank them on behalf of all the bird lovers in our region. Well done.

G. Carr, Aycliffe Village