Philip Butcher, of Malborough, writes:

We want to pay a tribute to the hard-working farmers of the South Hams who have been working all manner of hours over recent weeks to secure their harvests.

One of their number was driving a large tractor and ­trailer back home after dark that filled the little back lane that runs from Malborough to Bolberry. We, being an elderly couple driving home in our car in the opposite direction, ­suddenly saw that we had a big problem coming, as reversing in the dark in a narrow lane is somewhat daunting.

Imagine our relief when the young driver jumped down from this towering monster of a tractor and cheerfully asked whether we would prefer him to reverse our car, or see whether he could reverse the tractor along the lane to a wider part.

He willingly reversed his lane-width trailer to the point where we could pass without a word of complaint, and we thought to ourselves what a model to other road users in the South Hams.

He was so quick to try to help us that the thought of our attempting a lengthy reverse in a narrow lane did not even have to arise.

Bravo South Hams farmers, who are only working to feed us, after all.