Letters from The Northern Echo

HOSPITALS

HAVING had occasion recently to criticise the University Hospital of North Durham, I am glad to be able to comment favourably.

On recent visits to a ward I found it beautifully quiet compared to what I had experienced before in Dryburn and other hospitals.

The reason is that the old practice of having TV sets blaring away most of the time in every ward has been replaced by a system with personal pay-TVs for each bed, provided with headsets so that other patients are not disturbed. - J Hawgood, Durham.

MAYORS

IN the forthcoming referendum in Middlesbrough for an elected mayor or leader, as at present, the options proposed are a sham.

Either choice will have a professional politician on a fat salary and power taken away from the majority of elected councillors.

Because of this sham, the Middlesbrough Socialist Alliance is urging people to boycott the referendum and call for much wider democracy and to kick private companies out of local government.

Already the people of Newcastle and Birmingham have rejected the elected mayor system. - Geoff Kerr-Morgan for Socialist Alliance, Middlesbrough.

CECIL M YUILL

I AM trying to arrange a reunion for people connected with the building firm of Cecil M Yuill Ltd.

I would like to invite everyone who has been employed by the company over the last 50-60 years. This would include pensioners and also current employees of the firm.

The reunion will be held in the Woodcutter, Kingsley Avenue, Hartlepool, on Wednesday, October 24 at noon.

Everyone is very welcome, but please let me know if you intend to come by ringing Hartlepool 420520. - Doris Ford, 20 Taybrooke Avenue, Hartlepool TS25 5JR.

SEWERAGE

I AGREE entirely with DA Savage (Echo, Sept 8) about the ever-present nauseating stench that pervades the atmosphere in Romanby, coming from the sewerage works.

During the hot days of this summer we were unable to open our doors or windows and it was impossible to enjoy our gardens, let alone have a meal outside.

Remedial work was supposed to have been done a few years ago, nothing has improved but has steadily got worse.

Why do we have to endure this day after day? - Dorothy Halsey, Romanby, Northallerton.

ZURBURAN PAINTINGS

I AM really disappointed that the Church should even think of putting money before heritage in its attidue to the Zurburan paintings at Auckland Castle.

Did Jesus not drive the moneylenders out of the temple? - M Howe, Darlington.

SCOPE

I WOULD like to ask DIY and gardening enthusiasts to take a break for a few hours and team up with disability charity Scope by taking part in fundraising collections outside their nearest B&Q store this autumn.

Scope is organising these collections during the last three weekends in October outside all B&Q stores across England and Wales, and I would like to ask readers to support these collections and help transform the lives of disabled people. The collections will continue the partnership between Scope and B&Q to create opportunities for disabled people to live independently.

By collecting for Scope you will be able to help the UK's 8.6 million disabled people design their own future. Please call Scope on 020 7619 7278 or email collections