WAR AGAINST IRAQ: IN a war where humanitarian aid was a declared priority, the desperate plight of Iraq's children failed to find significance amid the scenes of battle.

Away from the cameras the devastating impact of war upon children has largely gone unnoticed. Only now as aid corridors begin to open up are the harrowing images of children, scarred emotionally and physically by this war, beginning to surface.

Children suffer most in times of war. They are displaced from their homes, may lose family and friends and suffer lengthy disruption to their education. UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has warned that the state of Iraq's children, already weakened by 12 years of sanctions and two previous wars, is worsening daily.

UNICEF has been working in Iraq since 1952 and has established distribution networks throughout the country. In the months prior to the outbreak of war in Iraq UNICEF positioned thousands of tonnes of supplies both inside the country and in neighbouring countries. It is now the responsibility of all forces to ensure that there is order and to provide secure access to civilian populations to enable this aid to get through to those who need it most. By that UNICEF means ensuring it reaches children and women weakened and besieged by thirst, fear and hunger.

The current plight of Iraq's children is the result of years of deprivation made worse by the impact of war. Their needs will not simply go away when guns cease firing and troops withdraw.

UNICEF urgently needs funds for its vital work in Iraq to continue. Currently we are trucking essential humanitarian aid into Iraq from neighbouring countries. In recent days trucks have reached northern and southern Iraq delivering supplies of food, clean water, health kits and medical supplies.

Our appeal for £106m launched at the start of the war has so far received only a fifth of the funding it needs. However, just £25 could help save the lives of 150 children suffering from cholera or dysentery and £32 could buy enough high energy biscuits to feed 15 children for one month.

If your readers would like to help, donations to support UNICEF's emergency appeal for the children of Iraq can be sent to UNICEF UK, PO Box 1800, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 4UG. - Louis Coles, regional funding manager UNICEF Yorkshire and the North-East.

I AM at a loss to understand people who support a leader who places them at risk of losing their lives to satisfy his own ego. Then again the people of Iraq supported Saddam.

Any person now charged with grievous bodily harm or entering another person's property has only to plead: "I thought he had a weapon and I thought he might attack me, and no judge or jury could possibly punish them. - Peter Murphy, Bishop Auckland.

TONY BLAIR

MENTIONING Winston Churchill's name in the same breath as Tony Blair's is fraught with risk (HAS, Apr 14).

Foresight was Winston Churchill's forte. Some time before the Russians entered Germany, the trouble they eventually caused - the Iron Curtain, etc - was foreseen by Mr Churchill.

Winston Churchill was born to be a great man, so to speak. And in my own view Tony Blair will never ever be seen as such despite the Iraq scenario, itself just a few weeks' conflict. - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

ALF Pyle (HAS, Apr 14) is in cloud cuckoo land if he is comparing Tony Blair with Winston Churchill as regards achievements both in war and peacetime.

Don't forget in 1939 the country was in dire trouble from Hitler's forces. We had nothing except the courage of our people, when all other European nations had surrendered.

New Labour has been a complete disaster for our once Great Britain: all our gold reserves have gone, we are up to the eyebrows in debt, we are having problems with all kinds of industry.

We want our total freedom from Europe and we don't want to lose the pound. Just let Mr Blair and his puppet Government restore the damage they have done because, believe me, they have a lot to put right.

Forget about Europe Mr Blair, our destiny is with America. - F Wealands, Darlington.

text to go hereCOUNCIL ALLOWANCES

UNFORTUNATELY I find it necessary to write to you to rectify the inaccuracies included in Brian Gibson's letter (HAS, Apr 11) regarding increases in councillors' allowances.

Had he taken the time to read your article (Echo, Apr 7) he would have noted that the proposed increases in allowances related to members of Durham County Council only.

All allowances paid to members of Sedgefield Borough Council were reviewed by an independent panel in October 2002 when it was recommended that there be no increase and that allowances remain at their existing level for a further period of two years. This recommendation was adopted by the council without reservation.

I find Mr Gibson's reference to "councillors with their snouts in the trough" to be particularly interesting, as he is standing as a candidate in the forthcoming borough council elections. So I must assume that he is hoping to join the other snouts in that same trough. - Brian Stephens, Leader of Sedgefield Council.

text to go herePETER MULLEN

SOME correspondents continually call for Peter Mullen to be removed from your paper, thus effectively silencing the voice of right wing opinion.

I never agree with their letters, but I constantly have to put up with them.

I feel they have dangerous views which promote race hatred against the West. Nor have they the wit to realise their own descendants will reap the consequences of their continual derision of Westerners.

At least Peter Mullen is not at fault on this issue, or is that why they are consistently wanting him silenced? - Thomas Atkinson, Bishop Auckland.