The first one, he had spent a lot of time and money customising, was taken from outside our home at 7am as he was about to deliver his newspapers.

He then spent all his own money saved from his round and bought another.

He had this for less than two weeks when somebody broke into my shed and stole it. Through knocking on doors I discovered who had broken in and eventually a couple of bits were returned.

The thief, however, has a lovely bike of his own.

For Christmas I bought him a brand new bike but only 11 days later this was stolen.

It is clearly brand new so why do parents not question children when they come home with a £200 bike?

My son is once again on foot doing his job and it will take a good few months for him to save enough money for another bike.

I am devastated as my son works so hard in all weathers while other kids do nothing and think stealing is the way to get things. Obviously not all parents teach their children proper values and I dread to think where the youths who commit these crimes will be in another few years.

The latest bike stolen was a brown Redline BMX. — Devastated, Whitfield.

This, in fact, is not the reason for the funding.

The £21,000, in its entirety, will be used for regenerating an access road which was taken away for an elderly peoples’ home on the site of the former Balerno Primary School.

Not one penny will be spent on any part of the inner bowling complex. — Jock Brown, Chairman, Balerno Activities Group, Dundee.

My son bought nine Christmas presents from different sites on the Internet. All were posted first class.

The first was sent on December 4 and the last December 18, but not one was delivered until December 27, with others delivered on the 28th and 29th.

First class postage paid for parcels which take up to three weeks to deliver is hardly a first-class service.

When he had not received them by the 18th he asked our postman.

He told him there was a pile of parcels waiting to be delivered to him. My son went along to the depot to collect them, but the men on duty told him there was nothing there.

This episode spoiled Christmas for my son who had no presents to give to people.

Maybe Royal Mail should think about sacking the offending staff and offering their jobs to some of the unemployed who would be more than happy to work overtime and receive a decent wage. — No Delivery, Dundee

We Scots are being “conquered” by the Americans and Australians through soaps on TV.

I suggested years ago that we should dub all imported films and soaps into Scots Gaelic to keep our language alive.

Primary schools teach Scots songs and poems so our language has become a mish mash of different cultural influences. I think texting also has a lot to do with this confusion. — Chappit Tatties.

In the good old days cigarettes were promoted as having health benefits.

Even I’ll admit that’s taking things a bit far, but nowadays there’s a new health craze every few weeks and who’s to say what will be discovered in years to come.

If I can match Roahl’s claim I’ll write to tell you, so remember to order your Tele for May 20, 2057. — Puff Daddy, Glamis Road, Dundee.

I know there are family connections in Linlathen, Dundee, so could anyone connected to Thomasina O’Rourke (Miller or Millar), or who is a cousin of the late Andrew O’Rourke or Watson, please get in touch on 07961935625.

I would be very grateful. — Researcher.

The owner can call 07709489030 and describe the ring and I will arrange for delivery/collection. — D. J. M.

I would like to convey my thanks to the lady and gentleman who got me out of a difficult situation.

I would also like to thank May who is a member of the staff for reassuring me; and the two taxi drivers. — Mrs I. McIntosh.

Is she prepared to see other taxes increased?

Further, all banning booze would do is create illicit drinking dens. — B. C., Monifieth.

There is no condemnation of war in the film even though we see terrible scenes about the horrors of war in it.

It isn’t an anti-war film.

The film sets out to expose the sham heroism of the photographs showing six men raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

The film is not an attack on hero worship of soldiers who do not consider themselves to be heroes.

Eastwood is challenging the idea that war produces heroes.

But surely that is what most American war films are all about.

Soldiers under fire know that war heroes are myths. — Ron Smith, Dundee.