Only a few weeks ago one of the best musicians in this country that lived in the borough died. I refer to Don Lusher, jazz and session musician and first trombone with the great Ted Heath orchestra for many years and to whom the Sutton Guardian recently paid due tribute.

Just how far would his career have gone if, in his early days, he had encountered petty officials like Ms Coombes who may have thought his music a "cacophony" and denied him the practice and experience of playing in public.

By such an attitude he may well have ended up as the taxi driver taking other artists to concerts instead of performing himself.

Our young musicians need the platform on which to perform, they too need the experience of playing in public whether they play rock, country and western, jazz, baroque, folk or whatever. What they don't need is a high handed attitude that would deny them that.

Let it be on Ms Coombe's conscience that she may have helped stall the career of another Don Lusher, Nigel Kennedy or John Lennon.

BERNIE HITON (former jazz musician) Address supplied