16/08/05

Since January I have been trying to get our council to cut the grass on a designated footpath so that walkers can see where the potholes are and also that the grass, when wet, doesn't soak us up to the waist.

The grass cutters eventually came in June and tidied the steps leading to the offending path. They then must have decided that all we really want to do is play on the steps, so they didn't bother with the path.

Three lengthy phone calls and a letter from the residents' group have still failed to persuade anyone to take a strimmer to the route.

The alternative is a slither down a steep embankment after trespassing over a field sown with barley.

The only reason I can see for this failure to answer a simple request is that the path isn't in public view.

Well, Durham County Council, while you are busy spending money on your next self-congratulatory glossy brochure, print one less and pay your grass cutter to clear the path. - J Wray, Chester-le-Street.

MAKE AN EXAMPLE

THE Big Issue concerning a disgraceful mother neglecting her children requires little debate (Echo, Aug 10).

The only debate should be for how long should we protect the children by jailing the brazen mother.

How many hard-working families would like to be able to afford a month's holiday in the sun - only with their children?

It appears there is no incentive to work, just sponge off the state. Free house, council tax paid, holidays - it is absolutely appalling, and we who work hard and contribute are paying for it.

More fool us. Sadly, this story can be replicated throughout the country: children abandoned, running around causing mayhem wasting valuable police resources, and all caused by unruly parents unfit to look after animals.

The courts need to make an example. This case should go to the crown court as the magistrates cannot impose an appropriate sentence, it is beyond their power.

Will this happen? What do you think? Don't hold your breath. - Robert Bridgett, Shildon.

HOSPITALS PRAISED

AFTER recently being in James Cook University Hospital as a patient for seven days, I would like to thank the doctors, nurses and all concerned on Ward 5 for their constant care and attention 24 hours-a-day; nothing was ever a problem.

As this hospital was recently given a one star rating, along with other adverse publicity, could someone please tell me how this is awarded? Having been in several North-East hospitals (as a visitor) over the past two years, one of which was given a three star rating, I certainly could not see any difference. - J Price, Tow Law.

I HEAR on the news that people are complaining that they have to wait in hospital for quite a while before being given anything to ease their pain.

I can only comment on my recent experience.

I fell in town and suffered a severe displaced fracture of the ankle. Within five minutes of the ambulance arriving, I was given some morphine to deaden the pain.

On arrival at the Accident and Emergency department of Darlington Memorial Hospital, I was asked if the pain was bad, and was given a top-up dose of morphine.

While in that department, I was regularly asked if I needed anything for the pain. During my six-day stay on Ward 11, I was given painkillers at regular intervals throughout the day.

The staff were brilliant at the hospital. They do a wonderful job especially when they often have to deal with some awkward patients. I can only say thank you for their help and care. - Mrs Babs Glendenning, Hurworth.

TEESDALE BEAR

I would like to thank The Northern Echo for featuring the Teesdale Bear (Echo, Aug 1).

By showing this committed animal advocate and publishing her story, local papers spread the word and make people aware of the travesty of circuses that still use animals.

Thanks for featuring the story. - Tania Gibbins, London.

MOBILE GYM

THIS letter is prompted by the mobile gym at the Spectrum car park, Willington (Echo, Aug 3). The money should be spent restoring permanent facilities.

The closure of the main building at the Spectrum Leisure Centre is a mystery to some readers. Until the final year or so attendance was excellent.

Willington lost an excellent gym, together with a sauna suite and County Durham's only dry ski slope. Those facilities were inter-dependent. Gym customers would plan their visits so they could also spend time in the sauna.

Parents left groups of children at the dry ski slope for supervised sessions and spent an hour or so in the sauna suite.

About 18 months before closure, managers carried out a routine risk assessment.They decided that staff of the opposite sex to customers might need to enter the sauna suite in an emergency, so banned nudity from women only/men only sessions.

The 'costume rule' was unacceptable to many customers. Several gym customers switched to facilities with a traditional sauna.

Some of the parents who had left groups at the ski slope also stayed away in protest. Because of distance, and age range, most children could not travel there independently.

The absence of a few adult customers each day led to an overall loss of over 100 admissions each week. - Name and address supplied.

WHITLEY BAY

I AM writing because I am very angry after a visit to Whitley Bay - our first visit in four years.

We took our two children and our two-year-old grandson. When we were walking down to the beach three young boys who were standing above the toilets threw items from trees at my family. When I shouted to them I just received verbal abuse. Then the youths tried to kick out more windows in the toilet building.

They then threw more items at a woman who chased after them, but they just ran away to cause trouble elsewhere.

It is no wonder people don't want to visit Whitley Bay. It was not a very pleasant three hours we spent there. - D Gaffney, Crook.

TAIL PIECE

I would like to reply to a letter from M Embling (HAS, Aug 8) on the point of tail docking of working spaniels.

It's done to prevent damage later on in the dog's life. If you ever see a spaniel with a split tail it is horrendous, and needs weeks of treatment.

It's not just those of us that use our spaniels for work that this affects but also people who buy them for pets.

It's hard to keep these little dogs out of cover. They are natural hunters so, if tail docking gets banned, it will be the dogs that suffer and tails will be docked by amateurs. - Kevin Heslop, Crook.