The Editor, Sir:

Wednesday evening en route to the airport, I stumbled upon the scene of a recent tragic accident outside the Cement Company. A young man was lying on his stomach, with his head severely traumatised in a large pool of blood. He had been knocked off his motorbike and appeared to have not had the protection of a crash helmet. The body lay close to the lane I was driving in and there was no way that you could pass oblivious to the sight.

I was instantly moved to tears at the site of his battered body - someone's son, someone's uncle and someone's father would not be home for dinner tonight.

What really upset me was that despite three police cars and several police personnel being on the scene, not one had taken the time to cover the body. A piece of tarpaulin, several pieces of newspaper - anything, but to leave this man on full show I think was unnecessary and very disrespectful.

On my return some two hours later, I could see that traffic was still at a snail's pace on the other side of the road in the same location, so I can only presume that this poor man's body was still lying there!

I conclude that at any site of a tragic accident the deceased should always be covered after photographs and measurements are taken for legal purposes and the body removed as soon as possible. This, I believe, should not take hours!

I send my sincerest condolences to this young man's family. I did not know him, but I will never forget him.

I am, etc.,

TRACEY McNAIR

Kingston 8