Madam, Like Mrs Guest Gornall (Letters January 9) we had a small child with us for Christmas who had just participated in her school Nativity play.

When taken to see the crib at Hereford Cathedral, she was fascinated and enthralled. She asked all sorts of questions and was thoroughly stimulated by the exhibit.

I am unsure what this lady means by "disregard for tradition". I am no theologian but I have listened to sermons by erudite Anglican priests from which I have learned that Christ's birth bears no resemblance to the sweet, cosy, sanitized arrangements as "traditionally" depicted but was actually quite shocking and harsh in its circumstances and that the shockingness was and is the whole point of the Nativity.

Mrs Guest Gornall claims to know what Herefordian Christians think - she doesn't. Her claim is silly and audacious.

The crib, created by pupils from Haywood School and students from the College of Art must have taken hours of work to design and then construct.

They were a selfless gift to the Cathedral and an offering to Christ.

Money put into the collection plate by Cathedral visitors must be greatly appreciated but it cannot compare with a group of young people coming together (for all we know who wouldn't normally go to Church) to give in this way.

As a guest in the county, she has no right to be so unkind and rude about our young people's creativity. How must they feel to have their work rubbished like this?

I have searched through her letter to find a scrap of Christianity - but in vain.

We are lucky to have a Dean who has "inclusivity" on his agenda and cares about the needs of all. I urge those who took part in creating the Crib to accept thanks and congratulations for a thoughtful and provoking work and understand not all wrinklies are so rude.

Marilyn Bedwell,

Stoneleigh, Stoke Prior,

Leominster.