Letters

ON BEHALF of the Society of Editors, Northern Region, I wish to draw readers' attention to the apparent policy of Northumbria Police in relation to two unsolved murders - that of Sara Cameron and Peter Beaumont Gowling.

In both cases, Northumbria Police withheld information from regional broadcast media and local newspapers in order to provide BBC television's Crimewatch programme with previously-unseen video footage and other evidence.

Because more people watch and listen to local news programmes and read local newspapers than one national television programme, the effect of this was to restrict the number of people in this region who saw this evidence and may have made Northumbria Police's investigations less effective as a result.

Evidence which could help bring killers to justice should not be fed to one media organisation in preference to others.

In pandering to the requirements of BBC television producers, officers of Northumbria Police are not acting in the public interest. Requests for an explanation of the force's apparent policy have been met with total indifference by the force, most notably the Chief Constable Crispian Strachan.

The conclusion members of the society have reached is that officers of Northumbria Police have put their desire to achieve national publicity for their efforts above the operational benefits of co-operating with regional media. - Malcolm Warne, Chairman, Society of Editors, Northern Region.

HARRY MEAD

HOW utterly typical of your anti-rural columnist, Harry Mead (Echo, July 25). He whinges about not being allowed to walk on certain parts of moorland where grouse shooting will be allowed to take place.

His problem isn't based on any threat posed by grouse shooters of spreading foot-and-mouth. No, his bleating is based purely on the premise that if urban ramblers are having to curtail the pleasure of trampling other people's private property free of charge, then why isn't the same misery being applied to grouse shooters? In other words, why are hotel owners, beaters and other local rural people being allowed to profit from shooting parties but not back-packers?

I have a suggestion for Mr Mead and his urban class warriors: if they would like to dip into their own pockets and buy a few large chunks of moorland, tend them all year round and preserve their bio-diversity at huge cost, and then pour further millions of pounds into the rural economy during the shooting season, then maybe they might be able to negotiate restricted access to their own land for their own purposes.

But as long as the likes of Mr Mead continue their selfish resentment of anybody who manages to claw back any income at all during the present rural crises, the divide between town and country will continue to deepen. - AM Mitchell, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

FARM PRICES

IN ANSWER to JM Jackson (HAS, July 27) about how much of Safeway's £11.69 per kilo for lamb goes to the farmer, the farmer gets £1.45 per kilo, deadweight, for lamb, a maximum of £32 per lamb. This means that the wholesaler gets any weight over 22 kilos free. - G Sunter, Ferryhill.

THE answer to JM Jackson's question is about £1.50 per kilo - if they can be sold. - K Campbell, Winston, Darlington.

TONY BLAIR

J PRYCE (HAS, July 26) says the poor turnout at the election was because no one had anything to complain about - what tripe.

The poor turnout was because the election was a foregone conclusion, and because this Labour Government will not listen to the voice of the people, so why bother voting.

All Tony Blair thinks of is marrying this country to Europe and his own ego, because if he were made out of chocolate he would eat himself. - T E Crook, Bishop Auckland.

LOSING

WHILE sympathising with your editorial "We're Just Too Good At Losing" (Echo, July 23) saying that we seem to prefer gallant failure to success (and I well remember the inane criticism of England's 1966 World Cup winning team from some of their own supporters!), I would like to point out that St Helen's are the World Rugby League Champions, having beaten an Australian team in the final. This got remarkably little coverage in the British press, which I suspect is pro-Australian. However, not being into rugby league as much as I once was, I do not know if there are any Australian players in the Saint's team. - AJ Bills, Harrogate.

CATHERINE COOKSON

THROUGHOUT August, The Customs House in South Shields is presenting a musical to celebrate the lives of Catherine Cookson and her devoted husband Tom. The show opens on Wednesday, August 1, and we would like to offer anyone who was married in 1940 - the same year as Catherine and Tom - a ticket for the opening matinee.

This invitation extends to couples and individuals. We'd love to hear from you. I can be contacted on 0191-454 1234. - Ray Spencer, Director, The Customs House Theatre, South Shields.

TEES STRATEGY

THE River Tees Navigation Strategy was launched by Stockton council in partnership with British Waterways, English Partnerships and One NorthEast to help shape a major strategy that we hope will breathe new life into the river Tees (Echo, July 24).

At the launch, not one officer or leading Labour councillor gave any credit or recognition to the former Teesside Development Corporation (TDC). But without the TDC's supervision and money, the Tees Navigation Strategy would not have taken place.

With the construction of the Barrage, the TDC gave the people of Stockton ten miles to develop into a major regeneration area for business, leisure, tourism and sport which will in turn bring many jobs. - Coun Stephen Smailes, Conservative Group Leader Stockton Borough Council.