I WOULD like to thank the reader ("Cornish are minority in their own county," Packet letters, February 7) for their warm welcome to myself and my family and other "emmets" like us, who have moved to Cornwall.

We have moved from Dorset, another beautiful part of the country, also full of retirees, second homeowners and profiteers. We too rarely heard a local voice in our hospitals, surgeries, clinics, etc, although we welcomed any accent, including Cornish.

Surely anyone who has paid tax all their working lives, like my husband and myself, are entitled to the services of the NHS, regardless of where they might be living when they need them.

My mother died of cancer three months after retiring, never fulfilling any of her dreams. Life is so short, if people wish to retire or relocate to somewhere that doesn't happen to be their birthplace, I would never deny anyone that wish.

I apologise if ordinary people like myself, as you said, make your blood boil.

Name and address withheld

WITH reference to last week's letter "Cornish are minority in their own county." I am one of the "emmets" happily living here that this anonymous person writes about. I am not a second-home owner or a "profiteer."

I do not drink or smoke and lead a quiet life after moving here a year ago. I love the wonderful scenery and people, after holidaying here for many years. Does this person, whose "blood boils," want the millions of money- spending "emmets" to stop coming here?

Do Cornish people not leave to work elsewhere in the world? Shall we send all the Scottish people back to Scotland, the Irish back to Ireland, etc?

Name and address supplied

BECAUSE of my job, I have been away from my home for 20 years and, having recently returned for a visit, I cannot get over how the feeling strikes me that I'm in Petticoat Lane, London, and not in Cornwall - my birth place. Does this speak volumes or what?

Pat Thomas, Footscrey, Melbourne, Australia