Charter for tragedy; TRUST THE POST.

Byline: MARK THOMAS 

THE feature marking the 150th anniversary of the sinking of the steam clipper Royal Charter caught the imagination of readers, several of whom were moved to contact us.

As Peter Elson described in his centre pages feature, Royal Charter (DP Nov 9) was within an ace of arriving in Liverpool, having safely sailed half-way round the world, filled with passengers and treasure from the Australian gold rush.

The ship was caught in the "perfect hurricane" and smashed onto rocks off Moelfre, Anglesey, with around 440 people lost.

Ron Harris, of Wallasey, wrote: "Although this is a well-known story, it is worth the retelling as it has so many fascinating elements.

"Not least the fact that, having survived such a long and dangerous voyage of several months, the passengers and crew were less than a day from home.

"I'm so glad that the Daily Post chose to mark such a big anniversary and not let this tragedy go unnoticed."

Mrs Anne Laidlaw, from Formby, wrote: "Well done to Peter Elson for such a splendid piece.

"This is the sort of story, wellwritten with depth and clarity, which the Daily Post excels at producing. Long may it continue."

It should be said that Peter's feature was based on an interview with Chester diver Chris Holden, who with his wife Lesley, wrote a book called Life and Death on the Royal Charter, for the 150th anniversary of the sinking.

As always, the Looking Back picture on our Time Out Page intrigues readers.

The pictures of PM Harold Macmillan opening the Preston by-pass, the M6's first section, (DP Nov 4) caused Harry Jones, of St Helens to comment about it being just two lanes with a soft hard-shoulder.

Back in the present, there is praise for photographer Colin Lane, whose pictures of Formby beach delight readers, especially his "Stormy skies, high winds and high tide at Formby beach" (DP Nov 9).

"What an atmospherically packed picture of cloud and its reflection in wet sand with one man and his two dogs," said Mrs Deirdre Sanders, of Crosby.

"What a talented group of photographers you have on the Daily Post who can create such a power out of simple elements."

Finally, in Monday''s Daily Post and Saturday''s Echo, we incorrectly reported that the choir backing Andrea Bocelli at the Echo Arena was the Crouch End Festival Chorus when it was really our own Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.

This was due to incorrect information being passed to our reviewer, Laura Davis, the Daily Post arts editor, by the show''s publicity company.

Also the soprano soloist was Daniela Bruera, not Marina Rebeka.