Sir.-I entirely agree with John Hetherington (Letters, February 4), regarding the Holocaust Memorial.

The ceremony was not just brief - it was pretty much non-existent!

This was particularly disappointing given that it was the 60th anniversary and many of the survivors will not live to see the 70th.

A borough councillor explained this to me by saying it was "contentious". He felt that to remember this event in a more significant way may be offensive to people who had suffered in other tragedies. I find this astonishing.

Yes, a lot of people have died in other wars and disasters, but few other atrocities in history compare to the cold-blooded, planned, deliberate extermination of six million Jews over several years.

This is the same sort of thinking that says schools should not celebrate Christmas as it may offend those of other religions.

In fact, let's not ever commemorate or celebrate anything at all, then you can be sure no one will be offended.

-Julia Townsend-Rose, Cliddesden Road, Basingstoke.

Sir.-I wish to support the views expressed in John Hetherington's letter which appeared in The Gazette on February 4.

I, too, was at the Holocaust Day Memorial Service at the Basingstoke Cenotaph, as I have been for the last four years.

As a Jewess, I was very moved to see an increase in the numbers of those of all faiths and ages attending. I was, however, extremely disappointed that, on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, when all the world leaders were attending services either at Auschwitz itself or in their own countries, in Basingstoke nothing was said, nor were there any prayers.

I do feel strongly that those who perished, those who survived and those who took part in the liberation deserved better.

-Suad Thrift, Croft Road, Oakley, Basingstoke.