Readers misled by John Mitchell ( Letters, February 5) deserve to have the record put straight.

I was one of those stood quietly on the other side of the road outside the Grand Ocean Hotel, Saltdean, a couple of Saturdays ago.

Unlike Mr Mitchell, who I presume was in the main demonstration, I am a Saltdean resident and have been for more than 15 years.

Mr Mitchell reminds us he served in the RAF, for which I am very grateful. He may therefore like to know a bit about me.

For ten years, I was a local GP. Many Saltdean residents have been my patients. I now work as a company medical adviser.

My children both attended Saltdean and Longhill schools. One was with us that Saturday, the other is at Cambridge University reading economics but would have liked to have joined us.

Mr Mitchell implies I am an "aggressive, shouting stranger to Saltdean", unlike the "law-abiding, tax-paying residents" on the other side of the road. I resent his allegations.

Like Mr Mitchell, I don't want to see "our dear England ... swamped by ... terrorists or carriers of contagious disease", nor would any right-minded person.

However, we have nothing to fear from "people from another land and culture" (just look at our history), who are people just like Mr Mitchell and myself.

Sure, we need to vet asylum-seekers and other immigrants and review the system but let's be rational and treat people as people.

Mr Mitchell accuses the 20 or so of us local humanitarians of "attempting to stifle free speech and legitimate protest".

Let me tell you it felt quite threatening to be outnumbered by at least ten to one, especially when one lady had a placard stick broken over her head.

However, I am encouraged Mr Mitchell acknowledges the important right to legitimate protest and I hope there is more free speech and rational debate on this important issue.

-Dr Steve Waters, Chichester Drive East, Saltdean