SIR – I suppose the British scientists who are poised to begin a mission to probe a lake that has been sealed off from the outside world for up to 500,000 years and is beneath 1.8 miles of Antarctic ice (pictured, T&A, September 8) will be looking, like America’s robot on Mars, to see if life does or did exist there.

But I hope they find tons of gold to pay off our debts and better our existence.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford