Following Ferret’s column on accents, I would like to say the birds in my corner of the country - the North East - sing sweeter than anywhere in the UK, although, of course, I may be biased.

What interested me about this story was that it reminded me of when I was a lecturer before everything went vocational.

It could be argued that listening to birdsong and frantically recording the difference in accent from one hedgerow to the next is an utter waste of time.

I’ve no idea. All I can say is that, in 100 years’ time, someone, somewhere will be able to refer to a record of Dr McGregor’s work at Cornwall College and speak with authority about the warblings of the humble corn bunting. All because someone had taken the trouble.

Invaluable.

Peter Thomas, retired lecturer, Hartlepool.