SIR - Stowford Lodge, officially or unofficially, rightly or wrongly - no definitely wrongly! - closed its doors to day-care patients on Friday.

There has been very little warning of this and no official ‘goodbyes’, so I should like to publicly thank all the staff of the unit who have worked there over the time that my husband attended - four or five years.

Their care, consideration and kindness have been invaluable to my husband and myself as have the few hours I have had to ‘be free’.

Thank you all so much and success and happiness for the future to you all.

Sheila Burnand.

4, Yarde Hill Orchard, Sidmouth,