As the legal "patients' watchdog" monitoring the work of the Oxfordshire Ambulance Service, I would like to congratulate all the staff of the service on the wonderfully professional care and assistance they gave to the 50 or so ill-advised people who jumped off Magdalen Bridge into the River Cherwell and injured themselves on May Morning.

The ambulance paramedics had to wade into the river to help many of these people to get out of the water, treat them and take 10 of them to the John Radcliffe A&E with bone and spine injuries, some quite serious.

I understand that the rush of seriously injured people closed the A&E department down for a time as well as tying up a large part of the ambulance fleet.

Goodness knows how much this event cost the taxpayers.

It is to be hoped that if people cannot enjoy themselves without blocking up the already overstretched NHS services in future, the city, police and university authorities will take the necessary action to prevent them. MATTIE JEFFERIES, Chairman, Patient and Public Involvement in Health Forum for Oxfordshire Ambulance Service