Nanny State, flooding and winter health – your letters, plus Wolves in 1952

What’s behind Nanny State?

We have more valuable advice from Nanny State. She's been a bit quiet of late, following providing wisdom regarding drinking water and staying out of the sun when it's really hot, or lagging your granny when it's really cold, not to mention a leaflet I had a few years ago advising us oldies that we must avoid falling over.

However, does Nanny know something and is not telling us for our own good, I ask? We are told that we should all stock up on enough necessities to last three days, just in case. We are informed that there may be wildfires. Well, in that case, I would exit my threatened home faster than Usain Bolt, never stopping to open a can of baked beans. As to floods? I'd want help from the local rescue services if it's really that bad.

Three days' food, etc? I've got enough in the larder to feed the 5,000 and always have had. Most people would not venture out to shop on a daily basis and would possibly have a little more than three days' stuff in any case. Is there a somewhat sinister back story to Nanny's advice, I ask?

Alan Etheridge, Sedgley

Dredging rivers is the answer

The story in the Star of the Minsterley Flood Disaster of 27 May 1811, man-made climate change had nothing to do with the sudden deluge that swept away homes, people and livestock.

Those who make careers out of so-called climate change must remember most such disasters are down to a combination of natural events over which people have no control.

As for Prince William calling for a “holistic” approach to flooding, there are quite useless, as we shall see, next time it rains heavily!

Dredging the rivers is the answer, so as to allow flood water to flow down to the sea, and planting trees, upstream dams, beaver, man-made meanders and peat bog restoration will simply not help.

However, none of the measures people could take would have helped in 1811, and it is a case of when, not if, it happens 200 years or so later. One way would be to build houses on higher ground, but that unfortunately is not an option for something that may not happen again. We live in hope!

W F Kerswell, Picklescott

Keep a wide berth in winter

By the swinging lamp of Florence Nightingale and not forgetting the deadpan and bedpan antics of Barbara Windsor in Carry On Doctor, it's that health warning time of the year again.

Aunt Dolly, Uncle Norbert and I are great believers in looking after ourselves and taking professional medical advice, just like the greatly missed Tommy Cooper once reflected on.

Cooper: "Doctor every time I lift my left leg over my head it hurts." Doctor: "Well don't do it then."

So following on from this pithy advice Uncle Norbert and I would like to share our top tip for staying healthy while mingling with large crowds; walk backwards to minimise people coughing and sneezing over you. To help you navigate this we offer, for only £250, our strap on rear view mirrors, with built in indicators and "extra wide load" warning sign.

Peter Steggles, Midlands

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