Letters in brief

l THE press still ignores the fact that bras can cause breast cancer (Rex Fontaine, 26 April), and it is our sexual fascination with breasts that continues to keep us ignorant. Almost all bra straps and under-wiring inhibit the natural flow of the lymph, a major way of detoxifying the body. Detoxification is even more important these days since industrial toxins invade our bodies.

Graham Carey

Bingley, West Yorkshire

l THE only plausible reason for Ian Griffiths's strange view that the new millennium starts on 1 January 2001 ("Now just hold on a year", Business, 3 May) is that he was already one year old at birth. The rest of us have been out of the womb a whole year before we receive a birthday card with the figure one on it.

Eric Huchinson

Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire

l HAVING worked with many crocodilians, I can assure you that those in "Beauty and the beasties beyond the Great Barrier Reef" (Travel, 26 April) are not Australian saltwater crocodiles but dwarf crocodiles from West Africa.

Mark O'Shea

West Midland Safari Park

l CHILTERN Railways may be expanding ("Small operators attack Virgin in rail price war", 3 May), but as it chases a bigger slice of the long- distance market, their London-area users suffer. Profit, as usual, comes first.

Graham Larkbey

London N6

l YOUR article "Sexist Strife on the Ocean Waves" (19 April) reports the results of a survey on female seafarers in the Merchant Marine. I should like to point out that no Royal Naval female officer or rating was interviewed. The photograph of female ratings in HMS Invincible was, therefore, inappropriate.

Commodore B Leighton

Ministry of Defence