Letters

WHAT a bizarre Human Rights Act it is going to be if Myra Hindley can overturn a decision by the British Home Secretary on her life sentence.

Hindley and Ian Brady killed small children and enjoyed their pleading and begging for mercy as they died screaming in pain. In most countries they could have been executed for their crimes. Even in America they would have paid with their lives.

There does appear to be a human right handed to these inhumans. And that is the taxpayer has provided free cigarettes to Hindley and she is said to have now contracted a tobacco-related disease. So perhaps her early demise will be painful, even perhaps as painful as her innocent victims. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

FOREIGN POLICIES

I HAD to write in after reading the absolute rubbish spouted by Andrew Lightfoot (HAS, Oct 14).

Presumably, Mr Lightfoot believes that the ethnic cleansing programme of the Serbian administration was perfectly acceptable and that we in the West should not have got involved.

Obviously not being one for hyperbole, Mr Lightfoot then claims that Tony Blair and Bill Clinton are "the worst political thugs of all time". What complete and utter rot! Mr Lightfoot must be either ignorant of his history, or just have selective amnesia because, as far as I can see, surely Adolf Hitler was somewhat more of a "political thug" than Blair or Clinton. Of course, I imagine that Saddam Hussein is merely misunderstood as well, rather than being the "Butcher of Baghdad."

In conclusion, I wonder what Mr Lightfoot thought of the Thatcher Government's sinking of the Belgrano. Was it a cowardly attack on a ship that was retreating in a ploy to gain votes, or an acceptable act of war that should be commended? - M Stasiak, Darlington.

THE EURO

I SEE Peter Shore is still banging the anti-European drum (HAS, Oct 12).

Like many others he associates having our own currency with independence and democracy. He simply assumes this is true without trying to explain why.

Now, no one is more nationalistic than the Serbs. Like all fervent nationalists they are proud of their currency, the dinar, which is the official currency in Serbia and Kosovo. Yet no one has any confidence in it.

I recently spoke to a serviceman who had returned from Kosovo, and he said that the only currencies which effectively worked there were the deutschmark and the dollar. This doesn't mean people in Serbia or Kosovo want to be German or American, they simply want a currency which works for them.

Now if it will help industry for us to use the euro, as most serious industrialists believe it will, then I will happily sign up for it. It won't make me any less independent or British, but it might save some jobs. - D Taylor-Gooby, Peterlee.

CYCLE ROUTES

ONE of the last major pieces of the national cycle route is about to be started. Route number one enters County Durham from the south at Wynyard Station near Sedgefield and will give access not only to the National Cycle Route but also to the North Sea and the Coast to Coast networks.

Until now, one of the problems in completing the scheme has been finding a safe way for walkers and cyclists to cross the busy A689 dual carriageway. Proposals have now been agreed for a new cycle bridge, for which some of the money will come from the Millennium Fund.

Incorporated into the cycle bridge will be a major piece of visual art designed by the nationally famous, London-based artist Peter Fink. The work on the bridge will start at the end of this month and should be completed by April next year.

The visually stunning design is now on display in Sedgefield Branch Library. Please pop in and have a look. - County Councillor Ken Manton, Durham County Council.

RE-DEVELOPMENT

I AM conerned about future plans for Chesterfield and Chorley Cottage, in Stanhope Road, Darlington.

I am very surprised at the intentions of Darlington Building Society to demolish Chesterfield and convert Chorley Cottage and I am strongly opposed to its ideas.

Darlington is a very much admired town and the main reason for this is that it hasn't changed.

In fact, the few architectural flat spots in the town tend to be where new development has been allowed to replace old and historical buildings.

I hope Darlington Borough Council does not let the building society change the century-old appearance of this part of the town centre.

If the building society wants to be a property developer why doesn't it pick a derelict site where change might be welcomed. - F Peter Robinson, Thomas Watson Auctioneers, Darlington.

CANCER CARE

ON behalf of Macmillan Cancer Relief could I thank everyone in the area who contributed - either as a host or a visitor - to The World's Biggest Coffee Morning on September 29.

Across the country there were 28,000 coffee mornings - that's a magnificent 25 per cent up on last year.

The money raised is still pouring into the Macmillan offices so we do not yet have a final total. But what we do know is that because of the generosity and enthusiasm of people across the country, Macmillan will be able to offer care, support and information to many more local people who are living with cancer.

Macmillan is about to launch a specific appeal for County Durham to extend cancer services within the county and support through this event is very much welcomed.

The date for next year's coffee morning is September 28. Put it in your diaries now so we can make next year even bigger than this. - Carol Hoggett, Appeal Manager (Durham), Macmillan Cancer Relief.