EUROPE: THE letter form Joanne Thompson (HAS, Sept 18) rather typifies the current level of europhile panic, which has become even more evident since the result of the Swedish referendum.

The reluctance to accept reality is akin to the batsman who refuses to leave the crease when the umpire has hoisted the dreaded digit and pronounced him out.

The EU issue transcends party political boundaries with pros and antis in all camps.

The Conservatives have avowed sceptics, yet in the same camp there are those in support. Similarly, in the parliamentary Labour Party.

The Lib-Dems, however, are beyond redemption.

Only the Conservative Party has balloted its membership to test the water on the EU, therefore I don't see how Joanne can claim that the bulk of the trade union movement and the Labour Party supports our surrender to Brussels and the loss of our right to self-government.

Hostility to the EU and its ever-increasing power over our lives is coming from the people; a fact borne out by the results of last weekend's referendum in Sweden. Democracy must prevail; this can only be assured by Britain's total withdrawal from the EU. - Dave Pascoe, Press Officer, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool Branch.

BILL Morehead appears to say that there is no need for concern over greater integration into the EU because the latter is all about respect for human rights, equality, the rule of law and democracy (HAS, Sept 17).

Really? I can think of many British communities who would query that assessment: like our coastal fisherman driven out of business by the depredations of European factory fleets; small trades-people penalised for using traditional British weights and measures, and British tourists in Greece and lorry drivers in France whose human rights have systematically been violated.

The EU is a bureaucratic cancer that is invading our national life. Whatever our chances of survival now, they will be nil if we embrace the euro. - T Kelly, Crook.

HUTTON INQUIRY

I CANNOT understand why a Government official, Dr David Kelly, should divulge information to BBC journalists and then express surprise when that information was published.

Maybe his surprise was because his information had been exaggerated. Perhaps to coin a phrase, it had been "sexed up". Something else that is hard to understand is why the people who named Dr Kelly are portrayed as wrong-doers.

They did not name an innocent man. It was their duty to discover the informer.

The BBC journalists fired the first shots in its attack on the Government, and the Government was certain to retaliate.

Decent men have been pilloried by the media, and there have been demands for innocent people to resign.

The guilty ones are all employed by the BBC. - B Birtle, Peterlee.

CARBON MONOXIDE

COLLEGE and university courses are set to begin and many students will now be moving into their accommodation.

We at British Gas would like to remind students and their parents to look out for something which could potentially save their lives.

Carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur if gas appliances are not installed or maintained correctly, kills around 50 people a year and injures many more.

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive suggest deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are twice as likely to occur in privately rented accommodation than in a privately owned home.

By law, properties owned by a landlord must have their gas appliances inspected every year by a Corgi registered engineer. Landlords should then provide a copy of a valid Gas Safety Certificate to new tenants before they move in.

Students may not be aware of this legal obligation but they should make sure they ask to see the current safety certificate before they move into rented accommodation.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be confused with other ailments such as flu or even hangovers. The four main things to be aware of are unexplained headaches, sleepiness, streaming eyes and general lethargy.

If anyone in a house has any of these symptoms while a gas appliance is on, stop using the appliance, seek medical advice and get the appliances checked out.

Deaths or injury from carbon monoxide poisoning are avoidable if appliances are serviced regularly. A British Standard approved carbon monoxide detector with audible alarm can give peace of mind and might be a useful addition when packing our sons and daughters off to college or university this year. If everyone is vigilant we can save lives. - Chris Bielby, Head of Quality and Standards, British Gas.

EXTREMISM

A SMALL article (Echo, Sept 12) caught my eye: "Extremists salute their martyrs". Where was this? Why in London of course.

This extremist Islamic group won't or can't see that our liberal attitude allows them to protest without violent clashes breaking out. They should realise that if a Christian group did the same in an Islamic country they wouldn't last five minutes. - FM Atkinson, Shincliffe.