I have been following the Dorset flag campaign with some interest. I have lived in Dorset most of my life although I recently spent three years working in Barnstaple, Devon.

By the end of my time there every other car seemed to have a Devon flag bumper sticker. So when I first read about it in the Echo I was delighted.

Although I have to admit I was a bit sceptical about the idea of a Dorset Saint and Saint Wite.

So I went over to Whitchurch Canonicorum and much to my surprise there is a Saint Wite shrine there complete with all her remains. That's pretty rare as I understand it.

Now as for the flag design, I heard it described the other day as insipid, which I have to disagree with. I was not sure about the yellow to start with however it has grown on me; probably due to the fact I drive to Weymouth every day and pass all the rape-seed fields that are out at the moment.

At the end of the day it looks like it should; a simple and effective flag. It doesn't look like some clever art design, over-complicated, a postcard design or something done by a four-year-old with crayons.

It will more then do. So do we really need a competition, paid for by us taxpayers? This campaign being run by David White is independently financed. Now we're paying for the competition? Oh, when is the end date by the way - is this just going to go on and on?

I also remember just last year a county councillor quoted as having said: "Dorset County Council has no authority to create a flag due to the unitary status of Poole and Bournemouth Borough councils". Did something change?

Also if the council takes over, where will the money from the sale of flags go to? The town criers tell us that the sale of flags will not make money for anyone or any business but will be given to Dorset charities and projects.

So let scrap the competition and get a move on to launch it in time for the summer trade!

M Macleod, Mellstock Avenue, Dorchester.