Sir – I was disappointed to read The Great White Out — County is Covered (Report, January 7) Bicester solicitor Jonathan Freeland repeat the hoary old myth that householders clearing ice and snow from their property and property frontage leave themselves open to compensation claims in the event of injury to visitors or passers-by.

It is not so, and such comments from people who should know better are unhelpful. In fact it should be the civic duty of all able-bodied citizens to clear a reasonable path through the snow and ice in order to assist in getting life back to normal as soon as possible.

The courts would never sustain a claim against a householder who had done his or her level best to ease the lot of pedestrians in times of snow and ice.

Colin Carritt, Woodstock