Harry Kingsbury, of Dartmouth, writes:

Society today has taken the opportunity, and rightly so, to enable the less fortunate ready access to all services; thus enabling them as much as possible to enjoy what the rest of us take for granted. There are disability acts setting out the rights of the disabled.

I spoke to Bill Hawthorne and asked him why he did not just use the beach.

His answer was that the council would not make the beach accessible for the disabled. Yes, a double whammy against a man who simply wants to do the same as the rest of us. Apparently some jobsworth has suggested that he get a smaller open boat. The man is disabled, yet some prunebrain thinks he is agile.

He does not want to moor to the pontoon as I understand it, but to board from the pontoon.

As public servants the council should be encouraging people like Bill to live his life to the full instead of putting obstacles in their way. Thank goodness none of our disabled athletes lives in Kingswear.