1 JUNE 2002, Page 27

City slights

From Mr Edward Spa/ton Sir: While I rather agree with Matthew Parris's condemnation (Another voice, 25 May) of 'city' status being applied to good, honest towns, he is wrong on one point about Derby.

The Queen did not make All Saints' Church into a cathedral in 1977 'at a stroke of her pen'. It had been the cathedral of the diocese of Derby since 1927.

Edward Spalton

Etwall, Derby