I WRITE in response to hearing the news that Devon has been voted the best county to live in!

I can concur with this as I moved in, with my daughter Emily, four, five weeks ago and have nothing but praise for the people of Tavistock. Do you know just how nice you really are?

Forgive me, but here are only three examples: The woman, ?Sandra?, who, after asking her for directions to a bakery late on a Saturday, happily gave me her phone number, upon learning that I was new to the area and a new single unmarried mother, with a promise that should I just need to chat because I was in danger of being overwhelmed, I was to ring. You wouldn?t have got anyone doing that in Dunstable.

The man, aka ?S97? who kindly gave me the 50p for the meter when I didn?t have the correct change, so my daughter could attend her first ballet class. He wouldn?t even take the change I did have.

The woman ?Elizabeth? who dashed down into the supermarket to get me some chicken thighs as I had daughter to get out of the car, money to put in the meter, and I had frozen food in the boot of the car bought from another supermarket and this woman rose in my eyes, after previous good deeds, to be akin to Mother Theresa!

Good things may not happen all the time, but the simple goodness I have been grateful to experience from people who may remain as strangers is proof to me that I have moved to a marvellous place.

Doesn?t it make you feel good that I am talking about Tavistock and the people here? Thank you for making me so welcome, and I look forward to giving some of the same back as soon as I can.

Gwyneth Bateman

Tavistock