CONFIDENCE is a delicate thing. Savers are no longer queuing at Northern Rock for their money back because there is enough residual trust left in the Government to believe, for the time being, the Chancellor's promise that the taxpayer will underwrite the finances of the bank.

The last thing in the world Northern Rock savers need is any doubt. From the EU Commission: this week, Brussels has requested information from the British authorities over Government support of Northern Rock, concerned that it could violate EU state aid laws if support leads to distortion of the banking market.

One thing the Chancellor did not make clear was that his guarantee to Northern Rock savers is conditional - and time-limited. The "conditionality" is that any guarantee made is valid only insofar that it conforms with EU requirements, for the time period in which it is allowable.

If Northern Rock savers conclude that, at any time, the EU can pull the rug from under the UK Government, we may see the queues reforming and this time there will be nothing that can be said which will turn them away.

If I still had money in Northern Rock (or any at all), I would be very worried.

Peter Troy, Sedgefield, Co Durham.

WITH regard to your editorial headed "Forfeiting credibility"

(Echo, Sept 15), I find your comment that "Newspapers, radio and television stations were left scrambling for information when the news broke late on Thursday evening" a poor excuse for your front page headline of the previous day - "Northern Rock crisis as money runs out".

Anyone with savings in Northern Rock seeing this headline first thing in the morning is bound to panic.

As a responsible newspaper, I would have thought that a little more thought could have gone into the wording of your headline, rather than go straight for the sensational.

Once a comment like that is made it is very difficult to backtrack and play down the effect by explaining later that it is not really a crisis.

Perhaps the story of Pandora's box should be pinned to the desks of your headline writers.

PM Brown, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.