However, last Sunday, as a result of a neighbour informing my wife and I that she was feeling seriously unwell, we called an ambulance as we felt she was in need of urgent medical care.
It arrived within five minutes and two paramedics tended to her in what I can only describe as a truly wonderfully professional, caring and competent manner.
They both displayed compassion, efficiency, and a degree of medical skill and expertise that a few years ago one would have hoped for only from a consultant in a hospital. They were equipped with more electronic equipment than many a past doctors' surgery and used it to maximum benefit.
My neighbour was taken to the general where the paramedics' suspicions that she had suffered an heart attack were confirmed. Happily, our neighbour is currently on the mend.
This was in no small part due to the prompt attention given in such a professional way by these paramedics. They were nothing short of magnificent.
Imagine then our surprise to read this week in the Chron that one of the paramedics, Adam Nash, is attempting to break a world record by "coasteering" along the south coast of Cornwall.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if he achieves his aim to raise money for another hospital (the Sheffield Children's Hospital) by walking across the surface of the sea!
This man is truly a giant among men and a superb role model for many others.
Our sincere and grateful thanks to both of the paramedics. Unfortunately I did not get the name of Adam's colleague but she was just as special.
Geoff Bultitude,
Bridgewater Drive, Abington Vale, Northampton.

Fat Cat package set up by Labour
Open letter to Councillor John McGhee from Councillor Brian Binley MP:
In the Chronicle & Echo's article on March 28, Meet the Fat Cats, you were quoted as saying that the large financial rewards paid to a number ex-senior managers of Northamptonshire County Council was "a disgrace".
I quite agree and have said so publicly and indeed was quoted as saying so in the same article.
However, what has caused me to write to you is the fact that you appeared to blame the current Conservative administration for overseeing such a disgrace.
Paying the ex-chief executive the kind of money that has been paid to him was in my view totally unacceptable and I have said so. But what I actually find equally unacceptable is that a leader of the Labour group on the county council should try and pretend that his group were not responsible.
Indeed, we know the reverse is true: that under two leaders of the Labour group when in power at County Hall the "package" was created and agreed by the Labour administration.
The only reason the Conservative group could not interfere was that many of the issues were made contractual and therefore Labour agreed the payments scheme. In other words, this was Labour's scheme and thereby Labour's disgrace.
How angry must the Conservative administration be to find that, with resources shrinking due to a lack of Government funding, they are contractually obliged to pay out large sums of money to senior people leaving the council?
If only ex-Labour councillor Mick Young or current Labour councillor Roy Mayhew had shared your sense of what is disgraceful John, perhaps we might not be where we are with this one!
Councillor Brian Binley MP,
Hackleton Division, Northamptonshire County Council.

Pitiful results
John Wright, in highlighting the BNP successes in the Redwell West by-election, needs to understand that the BNP has now fought five election campaigns in Northampton with pitiful results of between four and 11 per cent of the vote. Even the result in Redwell West did not deliver more than 16 per cent, which is hardly likely to get anyone into parliament.
Indeed, they didn't manage to change the outcome, in that the party that previously held the seat retained it, with the BNP trailing nearly 500 votes behind.
The really transparent thing that the result showed us is that they are still not electable in Northamptonshire and that a BNP vote is a wasted vote.
Ven Subbarayan,
Eastern Avenue North, Northampton.

Great new look
Having just received and read the new look Chron, I have to say I like it, particularly the letters pages. I feel it makes it more of a local paper worth having.
Gordon Bray,
Junction Road, Northampton.

Telling the truth
I like the new style layout of the Chron. Well done! It is more eyecatching and makes enjoyable reading.
Thanks to all at the newspaper for being a great community supporter and reporting the truth about our town.
Jim O'Rourke,
Pindar Rise, Northampton.