Sarah Anderson wonders about the relevance of the Irish referendum on abortion to local readers, Letters, June 8.

She obviously didn’t read any national newspaper or view any of the TV channels last weekend. The result of the vote was the subject of extensive comment and I guess if it’s important enough for the rest of the country it’s relevant to at least some of the folks in the South Hams. Furthermore, if events and media comment on the subject of euthanasia have passed her by in recent years, then she must be living in self-imposed isolation.

As far as maths are concerned, it was never my favourite subject, but even I did not equate 200,000 abortions to a loss of future carers.

However, has she considered what those 200,000 might have become if they’d been given the chance to live? What contribution might they have made to society?

It was indeed difficult to witness the enthusiasm with which the result was received by those who see the right to kill the unborn as a giant step forwards for civilisation and a triumph for women’s rights.

You have only to ask the women of China about how much it has advanced them or the thousands of women throughout the world who attest to the devastating effect abortion has had on their lives.

Whatever our stance on abortion it most certainly is relevant because we are all affected by it in some way – none more so by the women and babies involved and the fathers.

A G Waring

Coombe Meadows

Chillington