THE u-turn by the European Commission over its directive to make all trading in imperial measures, and indeed, referring to imperial units, illegal after 2009, is a victory to be welcomed.

The fact, however, that such a plan was envisaged by the EU and approved by the UK Government should wake up even the most starry-eyed of Labour voters, and Europhiles in general.

Pub regulars can now rest easy.

From 2009, ordering a pint of bitter will not now be illegal and the landlord/lady will not find him/herself in court for serving "illegal" measures. Crazy as it sounds, that was a real prospect.

The freedom-loving people of this country should all toast Neil Herron, the Sunderland fishmonger, who established the Metric Martyrs' Defence Fund. His efforts along with the British Weights and Measures Association took on the EU and the Government and won.

Sadly, Sunderland greengrocer Steve Thoburn took with him to his grave a criminal conviction for selling "a pound of bananas". He died in 2004, aged 39, convicted by a British court powerless to dispense common sense because it had to obey EU laws, which now take primacy over English law. Nothing less than a full pardon is now demanded.

Dave Pascoe, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool.

IT is excellent news that Britain will be allowed to retain the use of our imperial measurements (Echo. May 9).

I, for one, would support a posthumous Royal Pardon for the late greengrocer Steve Thoburn, who sadly was hounded by Sunderland City Council. They should hold their heads in shame.

Metrication was imposed on Britain, a sovereign state, by the EU using stealth and without approval of Parliament or any debate.

The conversion costs forced upon Britain to convert from imperial to metric were mega-millions and could have been put to better use by businesses.

I doubt we will see business reconvert equipment to imperial measures, but it would be great to see gallons, pounds and feet back in use. However, don't hold your breath.

John Waiting, Guisborough, East Cleveland.

WHAT a victory for the Metric Martyr (Echo, May 9) against the might of the dictatorial European Union and its Labour and Conservative Party lackies.

This Blair government, and the previous Major government, owe a wholehearted apology to the memory of the late Sunderland greengrocer Steve Thoburn for standing up for his customers, who were accustomed to buying their produce in imperial measurement.

Thank goodness for our trade with the US, which still uses imperial measurement, that has led to this decision. Gordon Brown must now honour Steve Thoburn by securing a posthumous pardon, and the EU and UK governments should hang their heads in shame.

Mark Anderson, Middleton St George, near Darlington.