CHECKOUT RAGE: I PICKED up two small items plus a newspaper at my supermarket this week and went to the baskets-only checkouts.

I joined the smaller queue but in front of me with a laden trolley was a young woman with her grandmother. I looked at the trolley and was invited by the younger one to say something. I obliged by saying: "Have you got special permission?"

Apart from her strong verbal abuse, she asked me with hands on hips and shakes of the head "what do you mean by permission?" about 20 times.

Those behind tried to tell her but she insisted that her "grandmother could not carry baskets". We were trying to say that she should have been at another checkout.

I can't blame the lady on the checkout as she was not aware that they were using a trolley until they had unloaded most of the items.

The grandmother was no help when she insisted on sticking her finger in my face and saying: "Why is it always men that stir it?" - J Trevor Munro, Darlington.

BUTLER REPORT

ONCE again "Teflon Tony" does it. Tony Blair comes out of an inquiry into the Government's conduct all smiles. He tells everyone he had nothing to do with what went wrong with the intelligence about Iraq even though he says all intelligence passed over his desk. It would appear that the only people who can be held responsible are the journalists and civil servant whistle blowers who brought the information to the public's notice in the first place.

Mr Blair must think that the public will believe anything he says. I fail to see how journalists and civil servants can be made to resign when politicians and Government advisors responsible for the needless deaths and injuries of our armed forces and Iraqi civilians are still in position.

He shows undying support for the American President George W Bush, who sits on top of a country where armed violence is a way of life, as is support of terrorists in the form of the IRA and the Israeli government.

Mr Blair says America is needed for the security of the world. America is needed like a very large hole in the head. Terrorism has gone up in the world since Mr Blair followed Mr Bush into Iraq - or would Mr Blair dispute that and form another inquiry to prove it not to be true? - Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe.

AFTER the Butler Report, I hope people don't jump on the "we hate Blair" bandwagon and turn to the Conservative mob. Can so many people forgive so quickly what the last Conservative government did to our region? As Mr Blair said in Parliament, the Conservatives "only focus on the top ten per cent of people and fail to see the other ninety"? I hope that the people of Britain do not make the same mistake twice, or is my hope in a nation misplaced? - DM Bujara, Shildon.

CEMETERY SEATS

I READ your report about the new seats in Darlington's North Cemetery with some astonishment (Echo, July 12).

In the article, Councillor Bill Holmes claimed the credit for the installation of the seats.

In fact, that decision, together with other improvements to the cemetery and North Park, was taken as the result of a meeting held between Liberal Democrats in North Road and Shane Shrimpton, at that time the council officer responsible for parks and open spaces, in 2003 - before Coun Holmes was elected! These improvements were confirmed later in the year at a meeting with Mr Shrimpton's successor, Paul Crompton.

Liberal Democrats have worked hard and represented North Road ward for almost 20 years, and it is galling to see that the credit for our patient work behind the scenes being claimed by the Labour Party.

What a coincidence that Labour are taking an interest in North Road ward just as a by-election is coming up. Pure chance of course! - Fred Lawton, Darlington Liberal Democrats.

EUROPE

WAKE up Olwyn Sewell (HAS, July 10). Where were you when our "elected majority in Westminster" took us to war in Iraq? I think I can safely say that had we been closer to Europe, notably the French, then America would have had to go it alone.

As for Hitler, he had to rise to power in Germany first before he had the chance to conquer other countries. He won the hearts of the Germans with nationalistic promises for a strong independent Germany. There was no mention of all the other stuff until after he was elected.

The European Union is a collective of countries working together and bears no resemblance to an occupied country. We will still be British but with more friends than enemies. - Yvonne Benn, Burneston, near Bedale.

HONOURS SYSTEM

WHY bother to think of a new word for the E in OBE to stand for? We are used to BT, BP and many other big companies just being known by letters.

Civil servants and ambassadors should not get honours like KCMG (Kindly Call Me God) just for doing their jobs, but I do think that people who have really outstanding achievements should be awarded the title of Sir or Dame.

The reformed Order might just have two sub-divisions, OBE for people who have contributed greatly above and beyond the call of duty, and KBE or DBE for those who have already received an OBE and deserve recognition for further distinguished service. - John Hawgood, Durham.

TRANSPORT

East Cleveland Community Transport is in danger of closing as there may be no funding available from the Lottery for the buses.

That would be a tragedy as so many organisations use it.

It is used by people of all ages from school children to those in their 90s. For the elderly or disabled it is probably their only day out.

The drivers are specially trained to help disabled people and the buses equipped to carry wheelchairs.

For the sake of the community and the drivers, let's hope this transport can continue. - I Dickenson, Skelton, Saltburn.

FOOTBALL

As the new football season is only a few weeks away we witness frantic efforts by many clubs, especially Premier League clubs, to secure players who will be good enough to keep them in the top league.

Middlesbrough is spending millions courtesy of chairman Steve Gibson. Without him, Middlesbrough could very well be languishing in the lower echelons of the Football League.

What hope is there for young players trying to succeed in the top flight if their clubs just go out and buy so-called stars who often fail to live up to expectations?

As a Darlington supporter I have enjoyed the good times and suffered during the bad.

Hopefully, we are entering a new era after the nightmare of the past few years and I wish David Hodgson and his management team every success. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

CIVIL SERVANTS

MOST of the 104,000 civil servants to be axed by Gordon Brown will not be missed. We will save a lot on just one item - pens. - N Tate, Darlington.