SIR – Are you sitting comfortably, then I’ll begin?

Your article, “Contractors find tree growing out of the City Hall’s clock tower” (T&A, May 13), should finally put to bed any speculation as to where erstwhile council leader, Mr Eric Pickles, hid the magic beans he surely received when he sold the Bradford cow in the late 80s and set forth on his Westminster career, culminating in his recent removal from the post of Communities’ Minister.

Will his new post of anti-corruption tsar enable him to look at his own past ministerial dealings where Labour councils, including Bradford, have been given a hard time, starved of funds and had to make unpalatable cuts in public services for no other reason than the ruling party in power did not sport Mr Pickles’ colours, it would seem.

Fairy story?

You couldn’t make it up!

A Waterhouse, Barmby Road, Bradford