IN response to C M Bakewell (Letters, January 23), condemnation of the National Lottery is a somewhat petulant concept. If the majority of people wish to play the lottery, knowing full well that it is only a dream, then so be it.

The potential do-gooders should refrain from whingeing about what brings happiness to the many who let their imaginations run riot for a while. Church of England bishops should stop decrying the lottery - after the exhibition of the church's gamble when £800 million was lost on property speculation.

Mr Bakewell would appear to have an overriding dislike of anyone making a profit. But does he not know about the £700 million which the lottery has contributed to the Exchequer and the £1,500 million already paid to good causes?

Just think what effect this will have on the well-being of people over a ten-year span. Maybe Mr Bakewell's real gripe is that the lottery is another success story of the Tory government which he speaks badly of at every opportunity.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

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