Urban squirrels

Derrick McClure (Letters, 21 March) said as far as he knew that red squirrels have never frequented urban areas. I would imagine he is too young to know that red squirrels were quite common in many areas in the 1940s.

My grandmother lived in the Blackhall area of Edinburgh, next to Ravelston Woods, about 200 yards from Queensferry Road. She regularly had one or two red squirrels in her kitchen looking for a handout.

On the other hand, in those days you never saw a magpie in the city and even in the country they were a rarity. Maybe gamekeepers kept their numbers in check!

Mike McKinnell

Hillview

Blackhall