In the immediate years before the Second World War, a group of us teenage friends used to visit Brighton's West Pier every Friday evening for a bracing walk and to support the Rex Leslie Smith repertory company actors at the theatre.

They were brilliant and gave us a lot of pleasure - a different play every week.

One bonus was "early doors". A commissionaire would call "Early doors, this way" and if funds would allow for an extra three pence, one could join the concerted rush to the balcony stalls and hope to gain the front seats.

What bliss if successful - and, being young and fit, we often were.

-R J Redman, Westdene Drive, Brighton