I READ this week's letter 'Ripple of unrest over swim changes' (Dear Star January 13) about citizens' unease about access to swimming facilities.

Yes I'm another 'moaning pensioner' but cannot help but agree wholeheartedly that we're getting a poor deal. The point about Parr Baths is that it is the only one where people of our age can walk safely down the steps into the pool. We still go on Sunday but weekdays would have to get up at the crack of dawn in order to have a morning swim. We did that during years of a full working life; we don't want to do it in our retirement.

I complained about the ladders at Boundary Road and was promised that wider rungs were to be fitted; they haven't materialised.

Yes we could go to private facilities - why should we pay Council Taxes and then pay again? Also we would have to commit for, say, a month at a time - we don't wish to do that, we want to pay as we go.

We've paid 'on the nose' rates, Council Tax, water payments - for 47 years; don't we deserve to be able to go for a swim at the baths of our choice at the times we want?

MRS Foley, Windermere Road, Haydock.