The 1987 Cup final... you bet it was a good day!

THOUGHT I would let you know about my recollections for Coventry City winning the FA Cup in 1987. I was in the army – Royal Engineers, based on St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides. I was a Corporal Fitter in charge of the power station feeding the Royal Artillery deep range radar station on the island. As an Engineer and a member of the KGB (Kilda Generating Board), we were based on the island for six month tours. As we (REs) were the permanent staff on site we also manned the ‘Puff Inn’ bar. It was my turn as barman when the FA cup took place. On that Saturday my first customer was a cockney lad who was giving it large as to how Spurs was going to beat the City. Being a local boy (from Kenilworth originally), I gave it back & told him to put his money where his mouth was. So we each placed a tenner in a pot behind the bar. He then went about the base letting all know of the easy barman taking bets on Cov City. I ended up covering bets on even money to the value of £80. Could have taken more, but thought my Mrs would kill me if I Iost. Due to the poor TV reception we wasn’t sure of the real outcome and waited for confirmation on the later TV news. Everybody celebrated Coventry winning the FA cup that night, as there was enough for a barrel of beer, and a few quid left over to send home to the wife too. Austin Reeves, Warwick

Remember derisory pay rise for nurses

NICE to see that councillor Skinner shows the appropriate appreciation of the nursing profession (Telegraph May, 19).

A great pity that the Tory party leadership fail to do so, as shown by the derisory 1% pay increase and the withdrawing of bursaries from nursing students.

I hope he will remember this fact when it comes to voting in the forthcoming general election. Dr Jan Mokrzycki Kenilworth

How can region afford a mayor?

Sandra Camwell (Letters, May 10) says well done Andy Street for becoming the WMCA mayor. I say we don’t need mayors. Voting for a mayor for each region seems ludicrous to me.

At a time when so many cuts, are being made, and so many are having to do without the necessities of life, and proper care I believe the people showed what they thought, about this voting opportunity by not turning out.

Because they didn’t believe mayors were necessary they proclaimed that they’re not important, but the NHS, food, care and housing are, how can we afford to pay mayors when councils are reportedly broke? Andy McDonald Tile Hill

Labour returning to socialist roots

Years have passed since the Labour Party has been a party for the working class.

But at last under Jeremy Corbyn the party is to return to its socialist roots, and a voice for the working class.

Beware, the rich and influential will use propaganda to arouse doubt in Jeremy.

Jeremy actually believes workers should sit at the table of Conservatives, and no longer picking up the crumbs they brush off the table. David Peacock Henley Green

IIII is a matter of clock symmetry

IN REPLY to Fred Foster’s letter, the reason why IIII is used on clock faces rather than IV is to make the clock face look more symmetrical left to right with IIII on the right balanced by IIIV on the left. Bryan Phillips Styvechale

The real dangers of tech dependency

DEPENDENCY is always a problem be it financially, emotionally or artificially related, but when society is dependent on a technology it can’t control then we have serious survival problems.

And what this week has just taught us is that computer dependency is as dangerous as any narcotic or alcohol and we need manual backups in place should the system fail.

Computers give us speed and incredible worldwide instant access, but with these benefits there are pitfalls, and the recent cyber attack on the NHS shows the vulnerability of our firewalls.

We have nuclear missiles waiting for computer instructions, let’s hope that if ever these are given then it is man that presses the button and not artificial intelligence or some nerd in an attic having a bad day. Name and address supplied

Hares threatened if Hunting Act goes

A CONSERVATIVE repeal of the 2004 Hunting Act would accelerate the demise of our iconic brown hares, already listed in 2011 for potential extinction by 2050.

One third of the hunts (with dogs) in England and Wales target these declining hares, not foxes.

The Act also outlaws hare coursing but a repeal would further encourage this intrusive and destructive activity, already so distressing to farmers and problematic to police forces countrywide.

The police would, as a result of repeal, have reduced legal powers against the coursing perpetrators. John Rimington, Technical Liaison Officer Hare Preservation Trust