RECENTLY, I decided to go fishing at a lake about six miles from Littleport, where one is normally able to drive around to wherever you wish to actually fish. Unfortunately, because of all the recent rain, it had become a quagmire and I got bogged down.

RECENTLY, I decided to go fishing at a lake about six miles from Littleport, where one is normally able to drive around to wherever you wish to actually fish.

Unfortunately, because of all the recent rain, it had become a quagmire and I got bogged down.

I needed help and started walking back to where I should be able to get assistance and, after about half-a-mile, I saw a man in a tractor, who was spraying crops. I managed to attract his attention and started to explain my predicament. I quickly came to realise that this man was of eastern European origin and did not speak much English. We did, however, manage to communicate, via sign language and a few words, what had happened to me. He asked, via signs, if I had a tow rope and I informed him that I didn't. He immediately made a phone call on his mobile phone, speaking in a language I did not know, and, after the call, informed me that his friend would arrive in 10 minutes with a tow rope.

While the 10 minutes did turn out to be nearer three-quarters of an hour, his friend, who was also eastern European, did indeed arrive with the tow rope and we, all three, proceeded to where my car was; the friend and I in the friend's van and my saviour in the tractor.

Once there, the two of them, wallowing in the mud, hitched my car up to the tractor, not allowing me to do anything, and hauled it out.

With the car once more back on terra firma I thanked them both profusely and offered them a £20 note to express my gratitude. This, despite my insistence, was continually refused; both men indicating that they were only too pleased to help. I never did pay them, just shook their hands warmly and felt humiliated.

Within the pages of the Ely Standard there has, in the past, been much criticism of eastern Europeans and I hope those critics will read this letter and understand that they cannot condemn people simply because of the area that they originate from. They should ask themselves: 'would the average Englishman have performed in the way these two good Samaritans did'?

Again, I thank them and hope they have the opportunity to know of this letter.

KEN DREWITT

Friars Way

Littleport