02/08/05

As a regular motorist of more than 50 years in the town, I am appalled at the deplorable state of the road surfaces in Darlington. The vast majority of main arterial roads are pothole ridden, uneven etc.

Perhaps Coun Wallis travels around the town in a helicopter or hovercraft or even his own magic carpet. - P Webb, Darlington.

ROOT CAUSES:ANDY Wheeler correctly says little emphasis is placed on the pain and the suffering that such atrocities as the London bombings cause (HAS, July 19).

Is this because to do so would cause society to seek the root causes of such occurrences?

For too long now we have ignored what the majority of British people know to be true; multi-culturalism has failed and has proved a breeding ground for extremism, resulting in so called "British Muslims" issuing vicious diatribes aimed at denouncing the very British multi-cultural society that has fostered them.

They publicly state their wish to overthrow British society and enforce their fanaticism upon us all. We must accept this as their "right" yet we are actively discouraged from displaying any form of national pride or identity.

Has British blood been diluted so much that we fear to take positive action when our very existence is at stake?

This is not about being racist; it is about setting right some of the wrongs that have contributed to the decline of the British people regardless of race or creed. If not, then the streets of this country will truly run with rivers of blood, and it will be our own. - Alan Brennan, Darlington.

NAKED TRUTH:SPENCER Tunick may claim to be an artist, but his obsession with photographing naked people borders on something else (Echo, July 17).

His work seems to centre around using crowds of naked people in various settings. Is it really necessary for his models/volunteer posers to be naked? Surely just as interesting a photographic composition could be achieved by using fully clothed people?

It is not prudish to prefer to see people dressed rather than flaunting their often rather unsightly nakedness. It is just a sense of decency. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

HOW I agree with T Kelly (HAS, July 26) regarding the mass exhibitionism of naked flesh on Tyneside in the name of art.

I, like Mr Kelly, found the whole event disgusting in the extreme. A lot of those people had nothing to be proud of as regards their shape - talk about being obese and proud of it, enormous mounds of wobbling, uncontrollable fat.

It was enough to make you feel ashamed of the human race.

What really gets to me though is why the police allowed this to happen while the couple who were hiking naked round the country were virtually hounded by the police every step of the way and threatened with arrest if they did not cover themselves up. - D Harrison, Darlington.

DIABETES:AS the Member of Parliament for Redcar, I am aware that many of my constituents will have diabetes, which affects over two per cent of the population of the UK.

Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in younger people and always requires insulin treatment, whereas Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older people and can be treated with diet only, diet and tablets or with insulin injections.

The National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes has made recommendations for the care and treatment for people with diabetes, one of which is regular screening for diabetic eye disease. The NSF also recommends that people with diabetes should be educated and encouraged to manage their own diabetes so that they can make, and be involved in, decisions about their treatment.

I would like to hear from those of my constituents with diabetes about the treatment and services that they are receiving locally.

I am also aware that one of the insulin manufacturers is discontinuing some of their GM 'human' insulin products. This means that some people will have to change from the insulin that suits them. It also reduces patients' choice. In addition, there are those who need natural animal insulins and they are understandably worried about their continuing availability. If there are concerns about this I can be contacted at the House of Commons, SW1A 0AA or by email to bairdv@parliament.uk. - Vera Baird, MP.

DAY CARE:DURHAM County Council, in its efforts to change day care services for people with learning disabilities, is employing the services of at least three private independent agencies.

The question which I would like to raise is: if, following the advice of or the involvement of any such agency, the council embarks on a course of action which subsequently fails and service users suffer severe consequences, will the council accept full responsibility and liability?

I am the father of an adult with learning disabilities. - J Routledge, Witton Gilbert.

GOLF:I WAS pleased to read Lindsay Jennings' article, Why golf suits girls to a tee (Echo, July 11) but it did not inform your readers of the very positive benefits of golf as a leisure activity for ladies.

The arguments about ladies competing against men do not apply to the amateur game, because amateurs play using a handicap system. All age groups, abilities and sexes can play with and against each other, and do so every week at all golf clubs. In what other sport can all the family members play together in the same game and at the same time?

Sexual discrimination is nothing new but it is fast disappearing from the golfing scene.

Many clubs now have equal status for men and women. Full members pay the same fees and in return have equal playing and voting rights. Women will never establish more integration until there are more of us playing the game and any stuffiness that may have existed has long since passed as women from all backgrounds have discovered the game.

Golf is not an energetic sport, but a walk of about five miles a round in open countryside is excellent exercise for all age groups and the additional challenge of getting that 'little white ball' into the hole focuses the mind.

I would like to encourage women of any age group to take up the sport. At Bedale Golf Club we are particularly keen to welcome ladies new to the game and offer friendship and healthy exercise in a happy, integrated, non stuffy and safe environment. - Jean Harvey, Lady Captain, Bedale Golf Club.

ROYAL MAIL:RE: Royal Mail letters (HAS, July 20 and 26).

I use the Royal Mail postal service most days of the week for worldwide destinations as well as the UK.

I can only speak in defence of Royal Mail, with the bulk of my UK mail arriving the next day and overseas mail within seven to ten days.

Thank you Royal Mail. - M Ineson, Redcar.