Sir, - I too want to congratulate Paul Arnold MBE. I disagree with Paul Megson and value the count data contributed by Jeremy Whitaker (letters, January 13).
   Paul did not define the total of his problem. He undertook a difficult commission, as does a senior army officer. He may have defended unpalatably the commission he took on, but I think that it's inappropriate for Major Whitaker to blame him for questionable processing by the ruling government department (apparently now being applied again for a new railway HS2 - a terrifying myopia).
   I hope Paul finds acceptable that I think of him as a friend, as well as JW - who acknowledges age and declares infirmity in his usual robust manner.
   I walk around Hindhead crossroads a lot. It seem to change only very slowly. The numerous yellow creatures one finds there (among whom I now have an acquaintance or two) suddenly struck me the other day as resembling little groups of animals in a nature film by Sir David Attenborough. They seem to shuffle about, often with a stooped posture, without ever working very hard or doing very much. I like them; when I criticize they are defensive and polite. It seems that they are so overdressed and uncomfortable as to be unable to work very well. No wonder "by Christmas" has become a reluctant "two more weeks".
   And another thing: all of those paving stones are because of regulations, are they not? Nobody living in the real world wants them thus ludicrously and dangerously disposed, do they?
   How about a costing of unnecessary, largely indirect, aspects of this August-January blight? I think that a sum of very roughly £500,000 might be obtained (really). I plan some careful studies, hopefully akin to the careful counts by Major Whitaker.
   Let's get out of the European Union. A few big eggs would have to be smashed, but a home-cooked omelette would taste much better.

Dr Charles Warner, Tilford Road, Hindhead