So a student is fined for calling a horse gay (Oxford Mail, June 7). Do the police officers know that gay also means happy? Or are we so PC within the police we cannot use the English language?

I have never laughed so much as when I read the article. I thought the story was a spoof, or at least from the Keystone Cops.

This incident shows Thames Valley Police in their true colours -- completely inept.

I cannot help but ask how many points the arresting officers got towards their wages in their new bonus scheme.

The stupidity of the police not only makes a mockery of law and order, but calls into question whether the Chief Constable should now be replaced.

To have the heavy-handedness of the police publicised in such an incident surely gives no consolation to the poor residents and shopkeepers of Didcot, who still repeatedly have property damaged and are too terrified to go out from early evening onwards because of the yobs that swarm the town centre.

From my own dealings with the police over the years, this article confirms that I have been treated less favourably than a police horse!

Apart from the specialist areas of the police, such as CID, I would get rid of the whole lot and replace them with the military police, who could show Thames Valley Police how policing should be done.

SUE SUCH

St Peter's Road, Didcot