IT seems that, finally, justice has been served in the two cases of the tragic deaths of Tim Davies and Belinda Coffey, who were being treated for leukaemia when they died from a drip feed infection, although, in time, the leukaemia itself may have been fatal.

The judge has thrown out the possibility of bringing criminal charges.

In a profession that does a truly wonderful job under difficult and sometimes harrowing circumstances, where mistakes can be tragic and, yet, success will only bring a smile or a handclasp for a reward, to try to put blame on someone, even if it was possible, would not in any way serve mankind.

To crush what may be a selfless and dedicated career would only extend the grief and sadness of those two unfortunate children.

Everything possible will be done to avoid a repetition, but, in all walks of life, accidents happen - no one will ever stop them in their entirety.

Let us have sympathy for the parents of these two children and sympathy also for someone who may be grieving and yet may have done enough in the past to merit our thanks and our sympathy in a profession that gives all and asks for so little.

LEN RUSHTON, Bowland House, Larkhill, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.