IT’S STRANGE, but I hadn’t thought about my cousin Harvey for years until I read Tuesday’s article about the Newport Ship possibly being consigned to a remote annexe of the Newport Centre. Harvey was an avid (some might say obsessive) collector of bits of old bicycle, which he stored in his bedroom. He would invite people round to view his collection and occasionally someone would come, only to leave disappointed.

Then one day, his parents announced that due to the downturn in the economy, they were down-sizing to a bungalow and there would be no room for Harvey’s pride and joy, splendid though it was. Distraught but undaunted, he rented a shed on a nearby allotment and continued to send out invitations. But nobody ever came., even though he waited and waited.

This might have been a sad story except that one bright morning, Harvey locked up his shed and went out and bought himself a new bicycle. He has been happy ever since.

Julian R Powell Larch Grove Newport