Letter: Church `destruction'

Sir: The passion for church reordering in Surrey, so accurately described by Colin Wheeler ("Vicars, town elders, busybodies", 13 November), has also infected St John's in Egham.

It is an unusual Georgian church containing the history of the town accumulated by generations of Egham churchgoers. The current parochial church council intends to strip out all that is not "original" - including altar, pulpit and pews - and reorder to create a modern worship venue. Some of the items for disposal are gifts, including oak doors commemorating the Queen's coronation.

It fills me with sadness that this generation at St John's will be remembered for destruction; their contribution to the church - carpet tiles.

ALICE CHRISTIE

Egham, Surrey