15/02/06

It was gratifying to read Dan King's article on the current roadworks in our town.

However, it is unfortunate that Mr King concentrated on the regeneration work being done to Crook market. That, I believe, is not what residents have concerns about.

It's the numerous holes dug during the water company's replacements of mains pipes and stopcocks that have caused so much unpleasantness.

The fact is that nothing appears to get 100 per cent finished and we have a legacy of lumps and bumps in the tarmac.

The first holes began to appear all round Crook in July/August last year. The lights were there too, the constant mess, the noise and, indeed, the uncertainty which has surrounded this work continues even now.

On Watergate Estate, for example, where work began in July - with a three-month completion date - a 35 feet deep hole is still there.

Residents were informed that, for two weeks, traffic calming measures would be enforced and that was three weeks ago.

West Road has seen three sets of lights in operation at the same time and word has it that the lights can now be seen from space, the rumour being that they play the Hello Aliens theme from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.

Wear Valley Council will do anything to get regeneration into Crook. - Name and address supplied.

POLICE MERGER

SADLY I cannot help concluding that plans to merge our three regional police forces have one aim and are only to reduce costs and save the Government money.

In Durham Constabulary the new non-emergency telephone number is hopeless. This can only get worse when the area is greatly expanded. Knowledge of local problems and intelligence will diminish, as will the public's trust.

One thing is for sure, if the Home Secretary and the Government have decided this route, no amount of objection will matter. - Robert Bridgett, Shildon.

CHEERFUL PICTURE

IN these days of gloom, doom, disaster and tragedy, what a refreshing change to see the front page of The Northern Echo on Friday, February 10.

What a delightful picture of the children of England cricketers in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace.

Seeing the photograph gave my wife and I a really cheerful start to the day. Thank you Northern Echo and thank you England cricket team for last year's achievement in order to make this possible. - Clive S Smith, Sunderland.

SMASH HITS

ALTHOUGH I have no recollection of the Smash Hits Radio Luxembourg programme (Echo, Feb 8), I do recall the late Alan Dell deliberately destroying a Paul Anka record.

It was in the 1950s and, through his BBC radio programme, Dell was well known for his admiration of Frank Sinatra. Because of this he did not take kindly to the wailings of Paul Anka and, in particular, his recording of Diana.

One night as he was about to play Diana, he let the record fall to the floor and it smashed to pieces. "Oh dear," said Dell, "I'm afraid we won't be able to play Diana tonight." - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

BUS PASSES

I'M sure all pensioners are looking forward to their free bus pass in April, as announced last year by the Labour Government.

It is shocking and disgusting that someone has come up with the appalling idea of making children and students subsidise these passes.

The Government came up with this plan and they should finance it.

Pensioners in Scotland can travel anywhere in the country with free passes, they also have free care homes and no tuition fees for students. Perhaps we should all move north of the border. - A Lea, Darlington.

WORSE OFF

WHY is it that, despite spectacular advances in science and technology, most of us are worse off now than we were 30 years ago?

Worse off, not just in income, but in job security and satisfaction, provision for old age, accessibility of most public services, law and order - the list just goes on.

The rot surely set in the 1970s, with Mrs Thatcher's achievement of reshaping society and politics in the interests of the very rich at the expense of everyone else.

Since then many other leaders and governments, not just in this country, have eagerly followed Mrs Thatcher's example and the world is a poorer and bleaker place.

As for the answer, we need to find one soon or we can forget about having a future, not just our own future, but that of this vulnerable and increasingly tragic planet. - Tony Kelly, Crook.

HOT CROSS BUNS

IT is unbelievable that hot cross buns, a symbol of Good Friday, should be banned from an English school to avoid offending religious minorities.

The episode underlines the nation's headlong rush towards an Orwellian society where only "approved" customs are respected and protected. However, history seems to be repeating itself, since this isn't the first time hot cross buns have been banned in England. Amazingly, Queen Elizabeth I passed a law banning the consumption of hot cross buns except on certain religious occasions such as Easter and Christmas.

The question naturally arises: do Roman Catholic traditions remain a target for those in authority today? - Aled Jones, Bridlington.

THE NORTHERN ECHO

RE the format of The Northern Echo. I have in my possession two copies dated 1900 and 1906. They consist of only two pages, but seeing there was very little crime at that time, it was probably sufficient.

It still makes interesting reading. May it still keep going for another 100 years. - G Best, Darlington.

TROOPS IN IRAQ

CAN we be sure that the video of British troops behaving badly in Iraq is absolutely genuine?

The soundtrack seems to be contrived and it is convenient that one of the youths could plead in very good English. These pleadings come out quite clearly without any ambient noise, which one would have expected to be high at the time.

As to the beatings, some of my old teachers could whack you harder. - J W Davison, Ferryhill.

CIRCUSES

ANIMAL circuses don't belong in the 21st century. An autumn 2005 opinion poll reveals that twice as many people now visit animal-free circuses as opposed to those with wild animals.

Where's our compassion and respect for our fellow creatures? We're supposed to be the intelligent species and know the difference between right and wrong, yet so much suffering and violence prevails.

We don't need animal circuses. There's an abundance of TV programmes showing animals in their natural habitat, wild and free. They shouldn't be carted around the country and made to perform unnatural tricks.

I commend local authorities who have banned animal circuses from using their land. Private landowners should follow suit. - M Robson, Shildon.