WE, the Highampton Action Committee, representing the overwhelming majority of our community, are amazed at the offerings of Dr Andrew Stainer-Smith, the Rev Russell Chamberlain, mayor Christine Marsh and Ruth Wilson,(Letters, September 20.). The self-righteous indignation of these four people at the very idea of our tiny community having reservations about two dozen persistently offending criminals being deposited in our village, is sickening.

Nobody here has run down the aims of C-FAR in offering a chance of rehabilitation to offenders. But we are adamant that a tiny village like ours is entirely the wrong place to set up their operations.

Ruth Wilson infers that we are discriminating against C-FAR's inmates. We say that if planning permission is given to C-FAR we the community of Highampton will have been discriminated against and our rights as law-abiding citizens ridden over rough-shod.

The fact that these four people live many miles away from the situation here should deny them the right to tell us what they think is good for us. We suggest that the four worthy citizens devote their efforts towards keeping C-FAR at Okehampton where the organisation is currently situated and is so obviously welcomed.

I would remind everybody that, to our knowledge, we are the third community in Devon to have had to fight to preserve itself. Clawton, near Holsworthy, and Zeal Monachorum had similar struggles against C-FAR and in both cases the will of each community prevailed, and C-FAR was kept out. We await the decision of the West Devon Borough Council's planning committee with trepidation.

D G Richards

pp Highampton Action Committee

Lower Odham Farm

Highampton

AS an elderly resident of Highampton and in reply to your correspondent in last week's issue of Okehampton Times, I should like to emphasise that we do not in any way doubt the good work done by C-FAR; that has never been the issue here.

The point we make is the unsuitability of Highampton village for such a scheme. C-FAR states that they wish their trainees to integrate with the community. There are only around 200 people within a five-mile radius.

We have one shop, one public house, one church (with two services per month) and a small school. There is no public transport, no street lights except around the main road junction.

I also note that most of your correspondents in this matter do not live near Highampton and probably do not appreciate the layout of the village.

Mrs I K Smith

Hill View

Church Road

Highampton