I'VE just read the piece on school dinners with much interest and if you want to see an excellent example of what good school dinners should be like then you need look no further than Tockholes CE Primary School.

There the children do not get a choice of meals but are offered one nutritionally balanced home cooked meal, such as Yorkshire pudding with beef and vegetables, sweet and sour chicken and rice, chicken korma with naan bread, bacon, cheese and potato layer bake, to name but a few.

There are, of course, vegetarian alternatives. Also there is a selection of breads for those who want more and need to fill up or who don't like all of what's on offer.

There are no desserts except on Fridays when a child can to choose a favourite, but instead fresh and dried fruit, cheese and biscuits and yoghurts are freely available.

For drinks it is water, fruit juice or occasionally, milk shakes.

I have previously taken my children off school dinners because of the rubbish they were getting but since they have been on the 'new' school dinners I am often asked to make such and such 'like Mrs Houghton does" or that the tea I have lovingly prepared is rejected because 'it isn't as good as Mrs Houghton's.'

RUTH MARRINER.