I WANT to say that in my belief the recent successful campaign to save cheques was due in no small part to the help of local newspapers, such as yours.

The Senior Council for Devon, the county-wide voluntary forum for those over 50, joined many other organisations nationally in fighting the plans by the banks and the Payments Council to phase out cheques by 2018.

On June 30 I wrote to all newspapers in Devon, making the case for keeping cheques, or at least bringing in an adequate replacement. Many small businesses rely on this method of payment for services rendered.   It is particularly true for people who are housebound and for those receiving home services, such as paying the milkman, the window cleaner, the gardener and so on.

I am glad to report that you can now boast that your readership includes some influential people in London. At the end of July I received a letter from Sandra Quinn, the Director of Corporate Communications at the Payments Council, in which she noted that she wanted to write to me personally following the recent publication of my letters on cheques in Devon's local press.

She confirmed that on July 12 the Payments Council had announced that cheques would be available as long as customers needed them.

The target of closing the cheque clearing system in 2018 had been cancelled, as it was clear that people relied on cheques and many would be inconvenienced.

The council was also aware that in some situations there was not an obvious alternative to the cheque, and this was causing some concern among a large number of customers.

Ms Quinn added: 'We owe a great deal to organisations like yours, which have played an important role in helping us reach the correct decision on cheques.'

I should like to say in turn that the Senior Council for Devon, and older people generally, owe a great deal to newspapers such as yours in publicising the campaign to save cheques. Thank you.

Yvonne Wardrop

Vice-chair

Senior Council for Devon

PO Box 210

Harberton

Totnes