SIR – Tasawar Iqbal had his whole thumb sliced off by a machete while defending himself against five raiders of his store in Wibsey (T&A, May 26), but thanks to consultant plastic surgeon Ajay Mahajan at the BRI, the digit was reattached.

Amazingly, in less than two days, Mr Iqbal had regained some movement.

I have always sung the praises of surgeons for their skill and dedication, but Mr Mahajan excelled himself for he went straight from a seven-hour emergency operation on a child and worked eight hours to save Mr Iqbal’s thumb. What a man!

D Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford