Homegrown conkers still pack a punch

sir – Conker contestants shouldn’t give up on the quest for homegrown winners (report, September 26).

As our parish tree warden, I take note of any trees that show symptoms of stress – and, happily, I have found no signs of canker. Although leaf miner is still rife, the problem does not appear to have reduced conker sizes as much as in recent years, which may be due to the hot summer. In fact, I recently spotted a conker that might even match one found when I was about seven years old – and which turned out to be an eighter.

Bob Buckland

South Perrott, Dorset

sir – The organisers of the World Conker Championships should bring a wheelbarrow down to leafy south Buckinghamshire, where there is a cornucopia of formidable specimens lying around and eager for combat.

Matt Aitken

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire