As a South African visiting many old friends and former nursing colleagues in Sussex, I have been encouraged to write about a violent criminal who more than met his match against a group of women.

Some time ago, there was a dangrous intruder to my keep fit class of mainly retired businesswomen.

He got a shock when one lady who had once played rugby dived at his legs and sent him sprawling and yelled for others to sit on him.

Immediately a large number of angry and hefty women jumped astride the criminal and sat on him.

His vile threats were smothered and his shoulders well and truly pinned beneath the voluminous satin bloomers of one large and most formidable lady who bravely plonked her considerable weight squarely on the offender's head.

Under South African law we could take this collective action with impunity and we sat on him until police arrived.

This goes to show there is safety in numbers. I was so proud of their feisty response.

I would be interested in the views of others on this menace. Surely women in numbers have this St Trinians spirit to do the same?

Would you allow me to thank all my friends, both old and new, for such a lovely stay.

-Diana Van Rensburg, Johannesburg, South Africa