THIS morning I had a 10am appointment at Warrington Hospital.

I no longer drive and so was at my bus stop in Lymm just after 9am for the 9.08am bus. It did not arrive. I managed to get a bus at 9.35am, which with a brisk walk through Bank Park and got me to outpatients at 10.25am.

There I was told ‘sorry, but you are too late. Come back next week’. Two weeks ago I had a 2.30pm appointment at the opthalmic dept, and getting into town early I was in the stand for a bus to the hospital (roughly 10-min service). At 2.25pm I grabbed a cab from the adjacent rank and just got there in time.

I do not need people to write in with explanations, I know the reason. Warrington bus company are short of drivers.

On recent news items I am hearing about problems in care homes owing to staff shortages and recruitment difficulties.

Also on news items I hear that some eating establishments are operating reduced opening times because of the inability to recruit staff.

Four days ago I was listening to a news item to the effect that pig farmers were slaughtering stock on farm and getting vets to abort pregnant sows to cut down on animals on farm that could not get into abattoirs because of staff shortages.

That same day I went to my local Co-op to discover no bacon available, half the fruit and veg shelves empty, while an apology was playing on the PA system.

Why should a crusty old octogenarian like me moan on about these minor inconveniences. What I should be looking at is the global picture and applauding our national achievements. I mean we did get Brexit done.

BOB BROOKS Lymm