RECENTLY my goddaughter, her husband and three sons travelled down from Harrow-on-the-Hill to visit me, as I’m terminally ill.

To avoid the risk of any cross infection and, as the weather was beautiful, we decided to spend the afternoon in the garden and the boys could play and use up their boundless energy.

Having been out there about five minutes the father commented about the dreadfully intrusive noise from the docks and asked how long I thought it might continue. On hearing my reply, “it’s non-stop day and night”, he was speechless!

Eventually he said that noone in a residential area should be expected to endure that and couldn’t believe that any council would give the Docks Authority permission to operate in such conditions.

So, what my visitors expected to be a pleasant afternoon was ruined because normal conversation was possible.

Sadly, I anticipate their next journey in this direction will not be in the near future.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED.