I AM another listener to Radio Solent utterly dismayed and disgusted at the way you have treated your presenters recently. The final straw to make me put pen to paper was the headline in last night's Echo that Richard Cartridge is now to leave. Whether or not you have axed him I'm sure your bad management in the last week has had something to do with it. I now wonder if Nick Girdler and Sylv Willoughby weren't pushed or did they have enough sense to go before being so publicly humiliated like Peter White, Dennis Skillicorn, Pippa Greenwood, Chris Walker etc.

These above presenters have given so much commitment to Radio Solent down the years that I cannot believe you have treated them so shabbily. I never thought I would see the day when Radio Solent went the way of the world. All out for prestige and glory to top position in statistics. That's not what matters in life. Does it matter that the listening figures are not the highest ? the listeners it does have are happy. Why does every radio station have to appear completely to the young? There are enough stations in the region doing that job.

I am a bit confused by Ms Costello's memo to her staff. She wanted her presenters to aim at those in their fifties which is what Radio Solent has always done. What is wrong with the presenters being in the same age group? They were doing a good job of relaxing to their listeners. As for those people over 65 years who you now want to ignore, have you ever thought that we all get old eventually and a lot of these people live on their own and Radio Solent has been good company for them and they could partake in the programmes if they wanted.

I personally felt that Radio Solent has done a good job in Southampton and surrounding areas. It has been like being part of a family, hea4ring about bits of the presenters lives and giving us the chance to join in at outside broadcasts such as the Card Concerts and when Richard Cartridge did his stage shows. The mix of music has been good as well. I am 60 years but I still like to hear some of the latest hits and they have been played. Peter White's programme on Saturday morning has always been interesting and informative so was Pippa Greenwood's programme on gardening etc.

You are running the high risk of completely going under now. We have enough stations geared to the youngsters. Radio Solent stood out as appealing to the middle years age group which is what Mia Costello wants and is right under her nose. Do not ignore the over 65's. You will all be there one day yourselves.

MRS J D MCCARTNEY, Southampton