BIRD FLU: AVIAN flu may be on the way, but does the media have to go into Corporal Jones mode: "Don't Panic. Don't Panic."? Or, more accurately, Private Fraser's attitude: "We're all doomed, I tell you, doomed!"?

If this had been the attitude, there would have been no Dunkirk and white flags would have flown over the white cliffs of Dover.

Remember the exploding Aids iceberg advert? Remember the predictions that London would be underwater by 2000? Remember the fears about the Millennium Bug?

Warnings: yes. Precautions: yes. Media hysteria: no. - R Harbron, Norton, Stockton.

ROMAN SOLUTIONS

THE floods in Carlisle and the surrounding countryside makes me wonder why the gutters which run about a yard from the wall along most of our highways have been allowed over the years to vanish, becoming overgrown and neglected.

This irrigation scheme, introduced by the Romans, drained the water from our roads, most of it seeping away into the ground. Nowadays our roads are awash when it rains. In winter it freezes, causing accidents. Cars caught in flooded motorway puddles cause traffic jams.

In view of changing weather conditions, would it not be a good idea to open up these ancient facilities as an alternative to more plastic pipe?

It would be interesting to know how the Romans coped with floods in Carlisle and other riverside towns. - Irene Littlejohns, Tow Law.

ENGLAND

AT a LibDem conference in Scotland in 1999, leader Charles Kennedy said: "Scotland has a parliament. Wales an assembly. In England regionalism is growing as never before, calling into question the idea of England itself."

Six years on and England's flag and flag-wavers are being harried by a small bunch of pro-EU activists throughout England (HAS, Oct 15). Not once have they explained why the Scottish or Welsh flags are not given the same treatment.

The 78 per cent 'no' vote for a regional assembly told them they could not kill off the "the idea of England itself", but they're a determined and not very democratic group of people.

The un-elected regional assembly issue has been skilfully kept at local levels in England, but the time is coming when it will have to move to the national forum at Westminster. I was going to suggest that only English MPs attend the debate on the future of England at Parliament, but on second thoughts, I really want to hear what Gordon Brown thinks of England. - K Young, Darlington.

AIRPORT

IB Wade (HAS, Oct 15) has to be right when he points out that the Durham Tees Valley Airport is in Darlington.

It is obvious when one visits the airport that the parking charges are of the same disgusting scale as those in Darlington.

It is hard to believe - but true - that it is possible to fly from this airport to Europe for less than it costs to park a car for two or three hours.

Although the airport charges are not the concern of Darlington Borough Council, it's obvious that the airport authorities think that if the council can get away with outlandish prices then they can too. - Jim Rishworth, Darlington.

I REMEMBER a correspondent quoting Doncaster Robin Hood Airport as an example of inappropriate airport names (HAS, Oct 1).

In fact, it is more appropriate than people may think. Sherwood Forest went up into the West Riding of Yorkshire and there is fairly strong evidence that Robin Hood is buried near Brighouse and Huddersfield at Kirklees Priory.

Doncaster Airport was RAF Finningley and the actual airfield is in Nottinghamshire. Therefore, I would say that it is a rather appropriate name.

Incidentally, Doncaster is, I think, the only airport north of London big enough to take the new Airbus A380. - Jim S Hamer, Darlington.

Thornaby

THORNABY Town Council Labour Party has ruled that the residents will have to pay £40,000-£45,000 to the former town clerk for what must be regarded as a political sacking.

I totally agree with your correspondents Dave Brown and John Scott (HAS, Oct 6) that the Labour Group should resign and should be made to pay this amount themselves. - P Foster, Thornaby.

I MUST insist that those Labour councillors from Thornaby who have cost pensioners like myself money to pay for the wrongful dismissal of their employee should resign now. I say shame on them, and shame on the Labour Party. Let's find some form of action to get our money back. - George Mason, Thornaby.

EDUCATION

EDUCATION Secretary Ruth Kelly announced that there was an urgent need to tackle school admission problems so as not to allow wealthier parents to jump the queue. Either Ms Kelly wears blinkers or she thinks we do.

Not so long ago, Tony Blair's children turned their backs on the nearest schools to Downing Street and crossed London to attend a prestigious and much sought after Catholic comprehensive. They were, of course, accepted, unlike some children who actually lived in the catchment area.

I am beginning to suspect that too many people in government think that the man in the street does not read newspapers and has a poor memory. That may once have been the case, but times are changing and more and more people are sitting up, taking notice and asking questions. And they will not be fobbed off. - J Young, Nunthorpe.

WOOLEY TERRACE

ON BEHALF of the congregation at Wooley Terrace Methodist Church, I would like to convey our thanks to Mike Amos for his splendid write up of our Harvest Festival Service (Echo, Oct 8).

His article has been a talking point in our church, in the village and in the surrounding area. We appreciate the publicity and being put on the map, as it were.

The people on the hill top at Stanley-Crook are generous in their giving at all times and we thank them for their support.

Services are held at 10.30am every Sunday and a warm and friendly welcome awaits all who share our worship.

Come again Mike. It was our pleasure to have you with us. - Doreen Ainsley, Crook.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

I MAY have had a period of amnesia or an extended senior moment, but I have discovered that we now have a new chief executive for the North-East Assembly and that the assembly is entirely involved in the Teesport regeneration and other projects.

My problem is when was the second ballot taken for the assembly? Who are the members? Who pays them? Perhaps you or your readers could enlighten me? - B Brown, Barnard Castle.