I THINK the nation made the right choice in choosing Andy Murray as Sports Personality of the the Year.

And he was quick off the mark with his rebuttle of being more dull than a weekend in Worthing.

After decades of Brits not winning any top accolades in tennis, Andy and his brother Jamie have truly turned our fortunes around.

Let's hope they inspire many youngsters and their successful legacy continues for years to come.

C Gentles, Govan

Regarding the story ‘More city mums-to-be are beating cigarettes’ Evening Times, December 21:

While I welcome the drop in figures, I am still shocked to read that more than 20 per cent of women in deprived areas, and 12 per cent over all, continue to smoke while pregnant.

I struggle to see how woman could justify this choice.

Smoking with your children in the car is, quite rightly, seriously frowned upon. Smoking while pregnant is exposing an unborn life to harsh and toxic chemicals before the child even takes its first breath.

Research shows that smoking while pregnant increases the risk of stillbirth, cot death and premature birth.

While I try to see most issues from both sides, it is really hard not to judge in these cases.

You only have to take a trip up Alexandra Parade to the Princess Royal Maternity Unit, to see mothers-to-be in gowns and pyjamas, standing outside the unit smoking while other pregnant women attending for appointments have to run the gauntlet past them.

I think praise must go to the health care workers dedicated to driving these shameful figures down.

Helen Robertson,

Bishopbriggs

REGARDING Brownies being charged extra for a stay at Hamleys, this is a public relations disaster for them.

I wonder how many mums will be walking past your store in Glasgow because of this decision, The person responsible for this decision should have left the prices where they are , and put the prices up next year, instead of disappointing these kids.

Jim Connor

Posted online

Traders in Clarkston have united in a bid to urge East Renfrewshire Council to turn down an application from Costa Coffee.

Here's what our readers had to say on facebook:

Michelle Massey: I think Clarkston is set up just fine the way it is. Good people making a living from their community. Don't need big names stomping all over it.

Clair Stewart: I haven't shopped in Clarkston since they closed the toilets. None of the local retailers would let me use theirs, though clearly heavily pregnant and disabled, lovely bunch of shop owners. At least a Costa would.

Susie Rodgers: Clarkston doesn't need a Costa #shoplocal