04/06/05

Just who is it who decided to repave and block pave the pavements and road system in an area that now only serves half a dozen houses? I have tripped numerous times on the footpaths of Billingham, finally breaking three ribs, and feel the money would be better spent in Billingham.

My brother's new book, Port Clarence to Billingham, (author Colin Hatton) describes how busy this area once was, and contains a photograph showing the crowds of pedestrians who used both the Transporter Bridge and the buses serving it.

Those days are long gone; today very few pedestrians use these modes of transport.

How on earth will council taxes and government waste ever be reduced while crazy schemes like this one are dreamt up? - Dorothea Scarlett, Billingham.

RIO FERDINAND

WHY is it that, in the case of policeman Mark Milton, it was thought by the judge that the case should never have been taken to court (Echo, May 19). The case was dismissed.

He was driving at 159mph on a motorway. Rio Ferdinand was driving at 105mph on a motorway, yet he got a hefty fine and was disqualified from driving.

The judge said: "He is a role model and should be a positive role model for young people in society and this does not give out the right message."

Shouldn't a policeman be more of a role model than a footballer? Where is the justice here? Mark Milton was doing 54mph more on a motorway than Rio Ferdinand, so why was he not fined and disqualified? Why is there one law for policemen and another for everyone else?

What the police are employed to do is to stop people breaking the law, so what the police are really saying to us is: 'Do as I say and not as I do.' - Margaret A Greenhalgh, Darlington.

G8 SUMMIT

BOB Geldof's plea for a million people to descend upon the city of Edinburgh for the G8 Summit, not forgetting his urge for schoolchildren to also attend, is both dangerous and irresponsible.

The city's population is approximately 500,000 and, as I regularly visit this city, I am aware of the nature of transport system in the centre, and other aspects of its infrastructure.

The city simply cannot cope with these demands. The cost of policing the summit is already expected to exceed tens of millions of pounds, but surely the cost of policing this could have gone towards actual debt relief to Africa, instead of having to ensure the safety of these million protestors? - Darren Metcalfe, Darlington.

BOB Geldof has asked for one million people to turn out in Edinburgh to march for the starving Africans.

This proposed march could attract troublemakers, hell-bent on causing mayhem against the police and on the streets of the city.

If this becomes the case, then I hope that the police charge Geldof with inciting a riot. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

REGIONAL IMAGE

IN at least one Sunday national newspaper, One NorthEast's advert: Passionate Places - a double page spread - featured a lovely street with a photo of Terry Laybourne of Caf 21.

But where in the North-East is this street? The advert doesn't say. There's no phone number either.

This street is described as the most beautiful street in England. Yes, right, if only we knew where it was we might visit it and spend some money there.

It would be interesting to know exactly how much money was wasted on this and other advertisements as part of this current campaign.

I looked on the website that was given. I had to dig and delve to find which town this was.

This is an outrage. This advertisement will not bring one person to Newcastle, to Caf 21 nor will it make one penny's revenue for the city or region.

Even a work experience placement student would have spotted the deliberate mistake on this great big, in-your-face, double page spread.

I'd like to see such campaigns do well, and the pictures in the ad certainly looked nice. I've never been to Newcastle myself. I'm glad I took the time to find out where this great place is. - Mike Gleeson, London.

CARE HOME

I REFER to an article (Echo, May 26) 'Care home owner loses battle to work'. I and my husband George feel that the people whom we cared for over many years in the Yorkshire Dales deserve a more accurate and truthful explanation of events.

Yes, we were removed from the Nursing Register three years ago for purely paper discrepancies, and my attempt in London to be reinstated failed.

My husband was too ill to attend the hearing. In fact, we are both over retirement age and disabled so we have no chance of returning to work. But we did have together 100 years of unblemished care (some in the deprived areas of Africa) and we have hundreds of grateful patients and families who cannot understand the actions of the GMC.

But because I could not produce paperwork to explain love and knowing all our elderly so well - every tear or smile, and their every wish catered for - we have to suffer the intolerant fact that paperwork means more than hands-on care.

All we wanted was to regain our registration for these very people who have loyally supported us. We were not in the caring profession to compete with the Year 2000 Nurse.

In fact, we are Florence Nightingale-ish. I hope you can enter some form of explanation for all the elderly in the Yorkshire Dales. It all boils down to the elderly out there knowing what really matters, and what is true. - June and George Richardson, Richmond.

HOT POTATO

NOW that the Jersey potato season is in full swing, I would like to know where all those spuds come from.

I have been to Jersey and there is not room to swing a cat - let alone supply a nation of 58 million people with potatoes from May to September.

Jersey's fields are full of those doe-eyed cows that look so good on the tourist postcards, or greenhouses full of early tomatoes.

So, come on Jersey potato marketing board, we love your spuds, but where in hell (or Brittany) do they all grow? - Dave Hodgson, Richmond.