Stephen Bellows, of Landmark Road, Salcombe, writes:

I am writing in support of Waly Boemclas' letter regarding Peaceful Silence.

While it would be very easy to suggest that those who use loud machinery on a Sunday are being selfish it must be recognised that we are all a product of the society in which we live. The paradox is that our society is a product of our behaviour, which in turn is influenced by our values.

My view is that for many years we as a nation have put individual and corporate profit above quality of life and family values. The UK has an unenviable record when it comes to work life balance and there is no obvious profit margin in peaceful silence.

The question is what kind of society would we like to live in and what is our responsibility in shaping it?

Just as personal inner peace requires cultivation and protection so too the peace of our environment. One day of less noise and bustle would be healthy for us and our society. If we are to keep one day special then Sunday would seem to be the obvious choice.