RAILWAYS: THE commuters of the south are rarely satisfied with the railways, always commenting on leaves on the rails, late running, and now buckled rails in the heatwave.

Britain had the chance to modernise about 30 years ago with levitating trains worked by magnetism, virtually friction free. It would have been fast and cheap on fuel.

What happened? Well, nothing here.

I read that China has a small rail system like this. Such is progress (or isn't). - FM Atkinson, Shincliffe.

CATHOLICS

I AGREE wholeheartedly with PA Aspinall's comments (HAS, Aug 11). P Springer (HAS, Aug 2) is not living in the real world if he seriously thinks the Catholic church is trying to take over this country.

In this day and age when Christians need above all else to be united against the common enemy, to harbour grudges over what happened in the 16th century is plain daft.

Many Protestants were martyred at the stake in those days and the Pope has recently apologised on behalf of us all, but I haven't heard any apologies from the likes of P Springer for what was also happening then: the hanging, drawing and quartering of Catholic priests, etc.

English Catholics today are the most inoffensive and peaceable people imaginable, as indeed are most Christians. - T Kelly, Crook.

IRAQ

THE true horror of the war in Iraq is now beginning to emerge. A minimum of 8,000 civilians dead and 20,000 injured.

It is also now revealed that cluster bombs and napalm bombs were used. But worst of all are the images on TV of Iraqi children who have lost arms and legs, not to mention the irreparable mental effects of their pain and suffering.

We are constantly shown the young boy who had both arms blown off being treated in Kuwait. Kuwait is an oil rich country. Is this really the best they can do? There are hundreds of Iraqi children who desperately need treatment and none is forthcoming.

The war must have cost the US and ourselves billions of dollars and pounds yet we cannot find the money to treat these cruelly injured children - maimed for life at the whim of Bush and Blair.

What has become of our country when we allow these atrocities to be carried out in our name?

The names of France and Germany have been dragged through the mud by some elements of our xenophobic press, but they, the French and Germans, should be applauded for their stand against that barbaric war.

What a pity we did not have the courage to do the same. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

EDUCATION

THE education gap between boys and girls has again been highlighted with the publication of the A-level results. Boys only bettered the fairer sex in languages and religious studies.

Yesterday's results follow a continuing trend. A recent Ofsted report stated that girls out-performed boys in most subjects in the UK, while an internationally-based report stated that girls out-performed boys in reading at the age of 15 in all 43 developed countries studied.

The irony of this situation is that girls in the Third World, in countries which crave educated citizens, often cannot gain access to education. In total, 65 million girls are denied their right to education, the same number of all school-age girls in North America and Europe put together. How many Marie Curies, Florence Nightingales or Ellen MacArthurs are missing their chance to contribute?

If girls were given equal access to education would the Third World be in its current predicament?

We see girls as key to successful development and work to provide them access to education and healthcare, to put an end to abuse and exploitation.

We accomplish this through child sponsorship, a unique way to engage in the lives of those born into poverty. It only costs 60p a day, and, who knows, you may be sponsoring a future doctor, teacher or prime minister. - Graeme Young, World Vision UK, Milton Keynes.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

A TOTAL of £248,000 is awarded to Karl Jones, a criminal for most of his life, because he slipped down a drain in prison (an ideal place for those of his ilk).

That money will of course come from taxpayers' hard-earned cash. Is there any real reason why the money this criminal now has, is not paid to the victims of his crimes, instead of the victims paying him?

When will a sensible system be put in place? If the stupid people who award these massive sums had to contribute five per cent of the amount from their own pockets it would soon cut down the huge sums that the taxpayer has to stump up. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.