IN support of Mrs Julie Farrer (Letters, June 9) and not wanting to offend Mrs K Hargreaves (Letters, June 28) I would like to make one or two comments regarding second-hand dealers.

As a former self-employed French polisher I had dealings with quite a few of these people, and, as in all walks of life, there are good and bad.

Shortly before finishing, someone approached me for advice on a mahogany table and eight chairs he had bought for £300.

I had never seen furniture from a dealer in such a bad state. The table top was full of scratches and dents, some were immovable, and the chairs were filthy and full of marks and paint.

I told him that the least I could charge was £150 to strip and repolish the table top and clean the remainder. I advised him to demand his money back, but to no avail.

At the same time, a second-hand shop on Stansfield Street, had a mahogany table and six chairs for sale at £325, and, believe me, they were like new. I know Mrs Farrer and I are not alone in describing many of the items displayed as 'junk' and with some of the electrical goods the Health and Safety people would have a field day.

Finally, I think it irresponsible for you to donate a prize to a letter without investigating the original complaint, for I am sure that if Mrs Hargreaves and someone from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph went to King Street and Bank Top in Blackburn they would surely see some justification in Mrs Farrer's comments.

FRANK WEAVER, Selborne Mews, Witton, Blackburn.

FOOTNOTE: The prize was awarded because I felt Mrs Hargreaves made a good point that not all second-hand goods are junk - an observation you most eloquently confirm - Editor.

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