AFTER working all day as a volunteer in a day centre, I went shopping and bought a mouse for my computer and films for my holiday, and then went on to Pann Mill where I have worked voluntarily for about ten years at least to make the garden a quiet oasis.

It was hot and I rolled up my anorak with shopping and purse in the pocket and left it under a seat while I fed the ducks etc. I got carried away and spent at least an hour cutting down dead bluebells and weeding alongside London Road.

I could see the garden from where I worked but the river was between me and it. I saw a couple with three small children come in carrying green fishing nets and I watched them as I worked. They played 'Poo sticks.' A nice family I thought.

If it had been 'lay-abouts' I would have walked back round the river as I have suffered a lot of vandalism and loss of valuable plants lately.

They looked harmless so I continued until I had a sack of rubbish and then walked round to put it on the compost heap, by which time the family had gone.

I went to my coat to come home and found everything gone from my pockets shopping and purse containing bus pass, railcard, everything. I was devastated.

More than the loss I felt hurt by the fact that someone had done it with me in sight, working. Maybe it wasn't that family but they were the only people I saw in the garden - and they were not in sight all the time. Maybe a bit bigheaded of me but I thought that most people who pass know me by now and appreciate what I do there, so I'm afraid I lost my faith in human nature that day. I expect the purse and cards etc were dumped. Why couldn't they just have taken the money. I think there was only about £6, but I lost a lot more than the money.

Margaret Simmons

Rutland Street

High Wycombe