I WOULD like to thank Royal British Legion spokesman Brin Joynson and the Clitheroe war veterans for their remarks in your front page report 'Veterans' fury over pop slur' (LET, November 11).

"Inappropriate is too polite a word," "absolutely appalling" - two quotes from this equally-appalling article.

The Burnley Scout and Guide Band (below) are a group of young people simply trying to do what is right, like many others up and down the country - a small percentage of today's youth who are not entangled in drugs and crime.

I admit that Barry Manilow's 'Copacobana' was probably the wrong choice of music, but what I find more appalling is the fact that this minor misdemeanour made front-page news.

The East Lancashire Girls and Boys Brigade Band, of which I am the band master, fell foul in the same way about six years ago while leading the Padiham Remembrance Day parade (although we weren't dragged through the Press). I can assure you that a rendition of 'Copacobana' has echoes of "the sombre strains of Elgar" when compared to the teenie song of the late Eighties, 'The Birdie Song.'

If the Clitheroe veterans prefer Edward Elgar, which it seems they do, I would like them to find me a youth marching band in this area that could play it, for the same price.

On a happier note, it was nice to see the town clerk of Clitheroe, Mr Peter Roberts, gave his support to the band, saying: "To bemoan young people who were simply trying to do their best is a little unfair."

Hats off to you, Mr Roberts.

ANDREW GALLOWAY, Bromsgrove Road, Burnley.

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