I WROTE to you earlier in the year appealing for readers to help dispel the common believe that community spirit is disappearing from our communities.

I asked your readers to nominate their neighbours for the Kleeneze Award for Britain's Best Neighbour, which is run annually in conjunction with the National Neighbourhood Watch Association.

I could hardly have anticipated the quantity and indeed quality of nominations received. An astonishing 10,000 applications were received before the closing date in April. This shows just how strong the sense of community spirit and goodwill is in the UK today.

I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the nine regional winners of the award and to convey my congratulations to the national winner of the Kleeneze Award for Britain's Best Neighbour -- June Robinson from Selby, Yorkshire, who wins a holiday of a worth £4,000, courtesy of Kleeneze.

I believe that safer communities are more attractive, and Neighbourhood Watch together with Kleeneze are at the forefront of building these safer places.

We can all learn from June's example. I hope her warmth, kindness and community values help us all to strive to be better neighbours.

John Howell, National Neighbourhood Watch Association, Pall Mall, London.