I READ the article regarding Andrew Wotherspoon and his unfortunate accident on his bike.

He claims that the cycle helmet that he got from the Oxford Mail probably saved his life after a crash with a car on the A40 at the Cassington junction on October 2.

At the end of the article I read that Richard Mann of CYCLOX, was quoted as saying: “Visibility is more important than wearing a helmet.”

I could not believe my eyes. I agree that visibility is important, as I myself have seen people cycling without lights and high visibility vests at night-time, asking to be knocked off their bikes by an unsuspecting motorist and ending up injured or killed.

But for Mr Mann to say this is more important than wearing a helmet is, surely, ludicrous. His comment must send out the wrong message, especially to young cyclists who can often be careless on the roads at the best of times. In my opinion, wearing a helmet is just as important as being visible. I noticed that Mr Mann wasn’t wearing a helmet when he was featured on the front of the paper last year, when he was promoting CYCLOX. That is his personal choice, but again, this does not encourage youngsters to protect themselves from receiving a fractured skull or serious brain injury.

STUART COOPER, Watermill Way, Headington, Oxford