I HOPE very much, as a long-time reader of the Okehampton Times, that its formerly high standards are not slipping into sloppiness.

A quick breakfast time scan of its columns last week revealed three spelling mistakes: Perhaps there were others.

Front page column 6 has seperate for separate.

Page 9 'New man . . .' line 2 has honorable for honourable.

Page 48 'Gorgs . . .' column 3 line 11 has rigourous for rigorous.

Peter Flick, Sticklepath

l The Editor writes: Quite right, Mr Flick, we hang our heads in shame — However, we pride ourselves on the Times that high standards of grammar are something which we aim to assiduously adhere to . . . Oops!