Paddleboarders, dogs jumping in, people swimming – all enjoying our local river (Devon campaigners call for ‘right to riverbank’ after finding Dart has 108 owners, 29 July), but our kingfisher family have disappeared, and otters no longer seen. Let’s leave much of our riverbanks to the natural world, which we are destroying so fast.
Elaine Fullard
Oxford
As an expat Millwall supporter I took exception to Jonathan Freedland’s comparison of Millwall fans with a murderous, vengeful nation like Israel (1 August). It had a humorous side, but this jarred when thousands of humans are being killed and injured.
Peter Skinner
Corvallis, Oregon, US
If Edinburgh University should unadopt the unworkable International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism (Letters, 29 July) it could do no better than use Stephen Sedley’s: “Antisemitism is hostility towards Jews as Jews.” Seven words; no argument.
Rosalind Clayton
London
“He is so chill,” says the mother of a baby born from an embryo frozen in 1994 (Report, 31 July). I’m not surprised.
Toby Wood
Peterborough
In response to your article (Neanderthals were not ‘hypercarnivores’ and feasted on maggots, scientists say, 25 July), Joan Clibbon’s book Cooking the British Way quotes Daniel Defoe on how stilton was served thick with mites and maggots, which were eaten with a special spoon.
Lorna Bushell
Lichfield