14/04/05

The article says it happened at Reg Vardy's roundabout, Darlington.

This is wrong. Anyone with long-term associations with Darlington will tell you that the location is Bland's Corner.

The garage and roundabout are modern additions to an historic location and not a suitable name.

I feel that this type of error detracts from the strenuous efforts that we North-Easterners (I reluctantly moved from Darlington many years ago) maintain to hold our own in this world, assisted, I must say, by the excellent series of photographic articles published in your paper.

We are European of course, but definitely need our own identity within that structure.

Names such as Reg Vardy's roundabout devalue that most important issue. - S Hawkens, Stockton.

HA'WAY JOSE

I LIVE in London but work in the North-East and have been prompted to respond to the letter of Joe Wellthorpe (HAS, Apr 7).

His views on Mr Mourinho are indicative of insular Northern attitudes towards foreigners.

Mr Mourinho should be judged on his achievements. I am sure that supporters and club officials of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and the other Northern clubs would give their eye teeth to be in the position of Chelsea.

As for David Hodgson, I am sure the mere suggestion of him managing Liverpool would have Sir Matt turning over in his grave, not the amount of money paid to top managers. - H Stamp, London.

pension SCHEMES

OCCUPATIONAL pension schemes are struggling and some final salary schemes have failed. So what does the Government think tank come up with? The Pension Protection Fund.

All right in theory, but what it has done is to put the rest of the occupational funds in jeopardy.

It has insisted the PPF will be funded by a levy on companies with final salary schemes. Companies who are already millions of pounds in debt are expected to contribute.

So, having paid into a scheme for 40 years, many others and I are expected to let some of this money go to failed funds. You must be joking.

Funds would not be in jeopardy had it not been for this Government's decision to take £5bn a year out of the nation's pension funds.

Coupled with this fiasco, pensioners can look forward to a grim future.

Let's go out on May 5 and vote out this Government. But whom would we vote for instead? - AL Carter, Marske.

BRAINWASHING

I agree entirely with Susan Willis (HAS, Apr 7) about the fuss over the Pope's funeral and the Royal wedding.

In addition to the suffering of unwanted Third World children that she mentions, there are countless cruelties to animals about which the Pope, with all his influence, said nothing.

I also agree with Roger McAdam (HAS, Apr 8) about religious education which, in my schooldays, was simply brainwashing.

If judged by the good that it has done, Christianity comes down at the bottom of the league. - R Brown, Newton Aycliffe.

EARLY BIRD

WITH the calling of a general election for the first Thursday in May, the first question that should be asked is why has the election been called so early?

An election did not need to be called until June 2006.

Margaret Thatcher decided to go to the country to seek a third term of office just four years after the previous election in 1983.

There is a good argument for fixed four-year term Parliaments.

It is not a wise idea for a prime minister to wait until the bitter end of a five-year Parliament before calling an election like the previous Conservative Prime Minister John Major did.

In a five-year Parliament, anytime between the October of this year or early April of next year would neither be too early or hanging on until the bitter end before calling an election. - PJ Brown, Middlesbrough.

WARDEN WOES

I READ with disbelief that the wardens I have tried so hard to get for Hurworth at weekends have so much spare time on their hands they are now going to issue £20 fines to motorists who stop with their engines running.

So let's put this in perspective. Don't pull over to answer your mobile, but if you're caught get a fine or go to court. Don't stop at traffic lights and get a fine. Don't stop at zebra crossings and get a fine. Turn your engine off at busy junctions until you see a gap large enough to re-start then pull out - the scenario is endless.

Who thinks up these laws? It actually takes more petrol to stop and re-start an engine than to leave it running.

So why can't the council just let the wardens get on with what they were intended for, to help with crime and stop using them as 'ozone police' or 'litter monitors' to generate more revenue for its overspending or pay for unwanted improvement schemes. - Ian White, Darlington.

RELIABLE ROVER

WE heard a lot about the plight of the manufacturing industry from Labour when they were in opposition. In government they have done nothing to help. The problem of British firms shipping out plant and technology to China and other places in the Far East has only accelerated. It cannot go on.

We cannot survive as a nation relying on service industries and dwindling sales of North Sea oil. This country faces an economic abyss and the sooner we recognise that fact the better.

We all need to support the manufacturing industry. It is not simply a case of wage rates or productivity, otherwise why can the French, Germans, Dutch and Swedes all continue to have motor and other manufacturing industries?

I have had five Rover cars, all completely reliable. The new 75 is a superb car and would knock the spots off a lot of junk we import into this country.

We must support our own manufacturing industry, and if the Government will not then it is time to make them redundant too. - C Wilson, Darlington.

SOUL MATES

THE Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall looked a very happy couple as they emerged from the Guildhall following their wedding.

The way Camilla linked arms with Charles was warm, natural and wifely.

Although the public took to Diana as the people's princess, this only disguised the fact that she and Charles were in an unhappy marriage.

By marrying Camilla, Charles's circumstances have changed for the better as he now has by his side a lifelong companion.

They have known each other for many years and are soul mates.

Best wishes for their future happiness. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.