Sir - I think it appalling that students diving into the River Cherwell on May Morning are still treated with such leniency (Report, May 2).

As well as wasting thousands of pounds of precious NHS money, such behaviour must disrupt and traumatise the many people trying to enjoy May Morning safely, not to mention the poor parents and family of the divers.

The dangers of such a dive are not simply related to river depth. Water surface tension and the angle of the dive, as well as impaired judgement after a sleepless drunken night all increase the chances of a serious accident occurring. If the student divers were to spend some time with someone suffering from paraplegia or quadriplegia, they may appreciate better the dangerous May Morning lottery they are playing. If there isn't a legal prohibition to such behaviour then one should be constructed, and perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted.

Daniel Emlyn-Jones, Oxford