14/02/06

Investigations into live animal transport on the continent have revealed consistent breaking of the rules on journey times, failure to provide water as required and often slaughter performed illegally, without stunning.

During transportation large numbers of animals are crammed into overcrowded vehicles and often receive no proper food, water or rest during their long journeys.

These animals can become exhausted, dehydrated and stressed and many are trampled to death by their companions.

It is widely accepted that animals should be slaughtered as near as possible to the farm of rearing. I believe there is also no good reason to transport animals on long journeys simply for further fattening. Long distance transport not only inflicts serious welfare problems on animals, but also risks spreading infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth and swine fever.

If you are concerned about the suffering of these animals, further information can be found on Compassion in World Farming's (CIWF) website www.ciwf.org.uk. CIWF totally condemns the live export trade. - P Ramsay, East Cowton, N Yorks.

BUS CUTS

RE the cuts in PTA bus services. As a pensioner living in Stockton, I pay £5 for a yearly pass and 30p to travel anywhere in the borough.

I am very happy with this situation and much prefer it to the free travel (during restricted times) that the Government proposes.

If the Government proposals mean cutbacks to students and schoolchildren's subsidies, I prefer the current system.

I'm sure I am not the only one of this opinion, but what can we do about it? - Ed Southgate, Stockton.

TROOPS IN IRAQ

IT is very sad to hear of the death of the 100th British serviceman in Iraq.

Corporal Gordon Pritchard was, by all accounts, a fine and well respected soldier.

The families of the bereaved are showing remarkable forbearance throughout the country.

The situation in Iraq is a very difficult one for our troops, but I believe there are signs of improvement in the country.

The recent elections in which millions of ordinary Iraqis participated hold out the prospect of a government of unity being formed.

Another encouraging sign is the ongoing trial of former dictator Saddam Hussein.

These are heartening and significant events in Iraq and because of this our troops must stay the course. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

IT'S sickening the way politicians and the media jump on any small infraction carried out by our soldiers when carrying out their duties.

The latest one involves some soldiers beating a number of rioters, who had just been caught after throwing stones and petrol bombs at them.

We have our brave New Labour politicians, who never go into such places without enough bodyguards to make it impossible for anyone to see them, trying to cream of some popularity with the ethnic groups these rioters were from and the newspaper owners who will print anything to sell papers.

These events are supposed to have taken place over four years ago, so why drag them up now?

I can remember in the 1960s, when such happenings took place, the newspapers didn't jump on the bigots' bandwagon with calls for locking up the "brutal" soldiers.

In Aden in 1964 The Daily Mirror attacked the army for the way they treated soldiers under field punishment while we were up in the Radfan even though they didn't understand what was going on. - Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe.

BRITISH IDENTITY

If only Labour could be trusted to back up policies with action, I would support its latest pledge to bring back British identity.

The fact is, historically, Labour has systemically given away our identity and I can't help but wonder if this is not just another headline to avert our attention while our Prime Minister surrenders yet more democratic powers and the right to govern ourselves.

He pledged to tighten asylum but he hasn't because he himself surrendered our border control rights to Brussels. He pledged to rid of us so called "preachers of hate" - he still hasn't expelled a single mad mullah because he is hindered by the human rights charter he signed even when advised it was open to abuse. He recently made this country the joke of Europe by surrendering our rebate without reform only weeks after promising it would never happen.

I would welcome the right to embrace my British identity without fear of being labelled racist by the fascist left. I would be proud of a Britain which wasn't governed by political correctness where to oppose is be "a little Englander," or extreme right, bigoted, etc.

However, on Labour's past record, it is never going to happen. - Des More, Darlington.

Shildon'S SHAME

VARIOUS correspondents have highlighted the disgraceful waste of £130,000 0f taxpayers' money so Sedgefield Borough Council can have a new logo.

This is an appalling waste of resources from a council not willing to pay only £10,000 to save a community's swimming pool at Thornhill Gardens.

But this £130,000 is an absolute bargain compared with the shocking costs associated with the Community Force.

I reported a serious crime to them and they could not care less. I wrote to their manager, still no reply.

The police were very supportive but, in fairness, they have little control over staff riding around in a £20,000 people carrier and stopping at various council bases to drink tea.

Shildon is becoming a dreadful place with underage drinkers all over the place, and violent and anti-social behaviour, mainly centred around Hackworth Park and the Market Place.

What does the council do to alleviate the problems? It employs wardens who dare not stop to question intolerable behaviour. - Robert Bridgett, Shildon.

PREMIER MANAGEMENT

FORGET our struggling football teams. The whole region is being relegated.

Were our MPs as horrified as I at the Index of Success survey (Echo, Feb 6) putting us bottom of the country's league?

The comment of John Wright, of the FSB North-East, was equally appalling. Does he seriously imagine our 'school report' would read 'good, but could do better'?

And why wasn't this shame splattered over the front pages of this 'campaigning' paper rather than hidden on page five, after such knife-edge issues as celebrity eating habits?

As for our premier manager, Tony Blair, if he needs a tag-line for the history books, he can paraphrase Queen Marie Antoinette's axiom.

"If the Northerners can't afford fuel to bake bread, let them eat Snickers."

But there is no relegation race for the North-East because there's nowhere lower to go.

So which regional managers really deserve the boot? - M McAllister, Ingleton, Co Durham.