Sir, - I am writing in response to recent articles on motorcylists using roads in the North York Moors National Park and issues on noise. I write as a motorcyclist, car driver, keen walker and countryside lover. Yes, there are a minority of motorcyclists with loud exhausts who are a nuisance. However, some of the complainants should visit urban areas where many 'lads' have cars with even louder exhausts often accompanied by stereo systems audible 400 yards away!

As for noise within the North York Moors National Park, I think the bikes are definitely not the major problem. The noise from even the loudest bikes is confined to relatively few corridors on a limited number of days and soon passes.

Personally, I find noise from light aircraft far more of a problem, especially as the planes are often audible for considerable lengths of time and over a wide area. I recently did a walk in the vicinity of Hawnby which was completely spoiled by amateur acrobatics by a plane apparently flying in the vicinity of Sutton Bank, around five or so miles away.

It flew for a solid 45 minutes and this single plane was probably clearly audible across an area of 100 square miles!

I seem to have few walks in the moors entirely free of disturbance in this fashion. I find that the problem is far worse in the Moors area with light aircraft than the military flying in the Dales and North Pennines which, whilst extremely noisy, usually passes over quickly.

Yes, I quite agree that noise and disturbance in the National Park is an issue - but let's concentrate on the real problems.

TIM BOUNDS

Pembroke Drive,

Ingleby Barwick.

The black hole

Sir, - I refer to Cleveland Police's £7.8m financial "black hole".

It seems if there is any "dust to settle" as a result of this horrendous issue it has to settle "under the carpet".

The Evening Gazette editor in his May 7 editorial stated "let's quickly learn lessons and move on". The Chief Constable in an article on May 19, stated "the challenge now was to draw a line under this difficult episode".

If there is a challenge it must surely be to dispense with the service of all persons in positions responsible for the police budget, because of their inability to control and monitor accurately the income and expenditure, which automatically confirms their incompetence. All these persons are paid "the rate for the job" and did not deliver.

He also stated "but rather than apportioning blame I am more concerned with getting the force back on a firm financial footing".

What on earth is wrong with apportioning blame?

If all those "guilty" are not removed, then what? Do the present "guilty" incompetent senior executives have their vote of confidence to continue?

Perhaps the selection process for new staff is also unsound. Some of the interviewers by their incompetence are employing personnel of inferior quality and are fuelling the ongoing inefficiencies.

Apportioning blame with penalties seems to me to be fair, responsible and good practice.

R SOLOMAN

Ingleby Barwick.

Good Samaritans

Sir, - Last Monday, May 10, at around 11.30am. I crashed heavily on my bicycle on the sharp bend in Cleasby.

A lady in a silver VW Golf stopped and asked if I was alright and if she could do anything for me. The gentleman who lives in the house on the corner came out after he heard the noise "like someone falling off a ladder".

He took me into his house and offered me the use of his telephone. The lady in the house made me a mug of tea and gave me paper towels and washing facilities to clean up my wounds, all this despite me messing up their nice house.

My daughter then arrived to take me to the A&E department at Darlington Memorial Hospital. Despite a full waiting room, I was examined by a nurse within five minutes as I had a head injury and was oozing blood in a number of places.

I rarely need to seek medical treatment and was pleasantly surprised by the friendly, professional attitude displayed by the doctor who gave me a good going-over and by the staff nurse who dressed my wounds.

I am on the mend and still look a bit of a mess but the experience has really reinforced my faith in human nature. It would be so easy for people to look the other way and "pass on the other side" but when it comes to the crunch (pun intended) they just aren't like that.

NICK REES

Elmfield Road,

Hurworth.

A pinch of salt

Sir, - Recent revelations from Iraq expose the death and torture carried out in our name so do the politicians responsible deserve our support?

All wars and conflicts are messy affairs but Tony Blair and the Conservatives wanted this unnecessary war against Iraq for reasons they still struggle to justify.

We should remember the world community through the United Nations had Saddam Hussain safely under control, with inspectors actively monitoring his activities. Sanctions and diplomatic pressures amongst many other levers so successful against other despotic regimes were driven aside by Tony Blair and the Tories as they raced to war.

10,000 innocent Iraqi women and children may have been killed by our forces and their allies and not a single weapon of mass destruction has yet been found. Now their second case for war on moral grounds is also falling apart. The hatred and anger being created abroad will live as a threat to us and our children for many years to come.

It is so regrettable that the vast resources spent bombing people in far away countries could do so much more, just one cruise missile launched costs more than £750,000. What could you have done in your community with all those millions?

When you next see a Labour or Conservative advocate for this war grinning back at you, take their words with a pinch of salt and think seriously about their judgment having put our own young soldiers in such a legally-doubtful position fighting for control of another country in very difficult circumstances.

ALEC FEATHERSTONE

Outgang Road,

Pickering.