I READ the inquest report on Mark Duffy (April 24) with sadness and disbelief; sadness at the loss of a lovely, kind friend and disbelief because I was at the inquest and I don't feel that readers were given a true picture of Mark.

I know this letter will not be of much interest to those who did not know Mark, but to those who loved him it may just bring a little comfort.

My husband grew up as a very close friend to Mark and has never known him to be anything other than kind, caring and loving. He was like a big brother to me, someone to turn to, if just for a cuddle. We miss him.

On the day of his funeral St Thomas's Church, Radcliffe, was packed, as later was the Queen's Hotel in Bradley Fold, by people who loved and respected him, a lot of whom he had cared for in his chosen profession, looking after people with special needs. Later that week a song was played for him on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show.

This is the Mark that we all knew and loved, not someone who was "violent and aggressive", as one person described him at the inquest. I, for one, am a lot richer for knowing him.

ANDREA BROWN