ON the increase in the otter population in the district.

Posted by Andyinstroud: I was sitting in our kitchen late last night where the river runs against the house and 4ft below the window. A lot of strange noises prompted me to look out and there were two otters hunting for crayfish. I’d see broken shells the last few days but didn’t think anything of it. I don’t hold out much hope for the fish in the millpond but I don’t think I mind that. So the otters are back in Toadsmoor Valley to go with all the other wildlife.

On the letter by Labour county councillor Brian Oosthuysen condemning the rise in racism and xenophobia since the Brexit vote.

Posted by kjag23: Just look at the comments on the article posted on Facebook the other day regarding helping refugees.

The EU has legitimised and even made fashionable racism.

Appalling, I thought Stroud was supposed to be a welcoming and friendly town.

Posted by Haloge: It was good to see Brian Oosthuysen, Labour county councillor for Rodborough, taking an ethical stand against the “so called” rise in vile abuse, xenophobia and racial attitudes in the UK.

He will, of course, understand my natural cynicism considering the ongoing imbroglio in his own Party regarding the usual soft bigotry of low expectations, inherent racism and anti-semitism. Brian will, hopefully by now, be assured that I don’t buy into all this “so called” increase in racist and xenophobic nonsense banded around by politicians for ulterior motives. I am sure that Brian is well travelled enough to appreciate that racism and xenophobia are found extensively amongst all races and creeds, and are not solely confined to non-metropolitan oiks and WASPs of the lower orders, although judging by the number of correspondents to this newspaper, this appears to be the “so called” received wisdom perpetuated as fact by those old enough to know better.