I would like to thank the young lady who came to my aid giving lots of support and encouragement when it was needed so much. 

I was shivering with fright and she went to her car and put a nice thick towel over me, rang my husband using her phone before even the ambulance and police got there. 

Fortunately I was not severely injured, just ached all over the next day.

I didn't have time to thank her or return her towel or remember her name. 

If she doesn't read The Addy every day there must be friends she has told about the incident who may be able to send on my heartfelt thanks. 

How very sad to read about the end of Radius. No longer financially viable.

Maybe Jacinta Allan or Marie Edwards could explain to us how part of that wasted $1.1 billion on the East West Link wouldn't have helped.

We as a community are battling uphill to solve entrenched poverty and disadvantage and we have a government throwing away $1.1 billion dollars for absolutely nothing.

In response to the column by Garry Linnell (“Beatles are the most overrated of them all”, Bendigo Advertiser, October 15).

What planet are you on, Garry? You are the first person I have ever heard say that.

I was wondering what your taste in music is? Bay City Rollers or something like that?

Great songs and lyrics like Hey Jude, Let it be, The Long and Winding Road, Revolution, Yesterday - the list goes on.

Come on Garry, get with it.

Adequate health care is a vital foundation for a thriving country community.

But under Daniel Andrews our country hospitals are struggling.

Annual reports just released in parliament indicate 21 Victorian hospitals are currently operating in deficit – 19 of these are located in rural and regional areas.

Daniel Andrews promised to “fix our hospitals”, but it is clear things are getting worse – not better.

Why is it that more often than not, when we hear of a hospital service facing cuts or struggling to retain doctors, it is in a regional area?

If Daniel Andrews is serious about creating jobs and investment in country areas, he needs to make sure we have access to reliable and well supported health care.

The Liberal-Nationals will always advocate for a fair share for country Victorians.

After the windfall $9.7 billion sale of the Port of Melbourne lease, there really is no excuse for Daniel Andrews to continue neglecting the health of country people.

I enjoyed viewing the photographs of the wild birds in the National Bird Week gallery (Bendigo Advertiser online, October 17) but the photos of the captive birds made me feel sad.

Birds are born to fly - that's why they have wings - so depriving them of their right to fly and all semblance of a natural life is cruel.

I've no doubt the "owners" of these birds are very fond of them but, if we truly love birds, we do what is in their best interests. Consequently, I urge any one who may be thinking of acquiring a pet bird to, instead, install a bird feeder where they can feed and watch the wild birds happily doing the things birds are meant to do.

One of the saddest sights, for me, is seeing birds - especially lone birds - imprisoned in barren cages while their wild companions fly free.