Swearing’s in

SIR – There is some debate over whether the BBC presenter Andrew Marr needed to apologise for his use of the word bloody on air (leading article, December 13).

When I was attending a genteel school for young ladies, a group of us decided that a new swear word was needed. Much debate ensued.

The runner-up was cotton gusset, a label then found frequently on ladies’ underwear; but the runaway winner was armpits, which could be delivered innocuously but which we found satisfyingly effective. Rosie Clarke

Nailsea, North Somerset