ROYAL FAMILY: PAUL Burrell has used his position as confidante of Diana to make money, but he obviously felt Diana was being unfairly treated.

The Royals are not noted for paying high salaries and who could blame Mr Burrell for cashing in on his unique position?

The Windsors are sitting on countless billions of money which, by right, belongs to the nation, having been handed down through the generations since the time of George I.

In terms of palaces and grace and favour residences, they own more than ever Saddam Hussein did.

To Paul Burrell, I suggest he discloses the whole truth of what he knows about Diana and the Windsors. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

GEORGE GALLOWAY

I HOPE that George Galloway's decision to stand against Labour in the European elections next year (Echo, Oct 30) is the final nail in his coffin.

While I believe Labour are a set of control freaks, they are better off without the arrogant fool. He was a disgrace to his profession and the nation.

To have us believe his association with Saddam Hussein was to benefit the Iraqi people was nothing but a fantasy. - John Young, Crook.

HOUSING MARKET

WHAT a wonderful opportunity for the Labour Party to bury serious issues during the recent fiasco of the Conservative Party.

The fact that house prices have risen six-fold in the six years this Government has been in power seems to be incidental because the power over interest rates was given away to the Bank of England, whereas in the past it was the responsibility of the Government to keep house prices from rising too quickly by raising interest rates.

Also, the fact that this Government sold off a great amount of our gold cheaply, making our money worth little more than zeros on a computer, thus not worth the paper it is written on.

Who are the winners in this situation? Certainly not the people. Working class people starting out are now not able to compete in the housing market.

This is a sad reflection on a party that used to hold the working class's interests at heart. Maybe we should all wake up to the fact that we are slowly being sold down the river to big financial interests. - Brenda Tingate, Darlington.

BATTLEFIELD PILGRIMAGE

AS the time of Remembrance approaches we would like to bring to the attention of readers the work of the War Research Society, the Battlefield Pilgrimage Tour Organisation for which I am the local contact.

Since it was formed by a group of retired and serving police officers and forces personnel, the society has grown rapidly and is represented throughout Great Britain and in many countries abroad.

The number and scope of the tours is always increasing and we now cover both world wars in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Poland, Italy, Gallipoli, Singapore, the Bridge on the river Kwai and the South African Boer and Zulu wars, the Crimea and Stalingrad.

Our dedicated and experienced team of couriers and guides includes lecturers with specialist knowledge who will lead you through the battlefield and bring history alive.

We assist in tracing war graves and carry out additional research if required.

Pilgrimages are undertaken in a kind and understanding way to even the remotest places on the battlefields.

Tours are tailored to meet the wishes of those travelling and nowhere is too far out of the way to visit.

Financial help can be given in some cases to assist a visit with us and photographs can be taken for those unable to travel.

The War Research Society is entirely dedicated to remembrance of the courage and sacrifice of those who fought and died or were wounded, and, being a charitable organisation, is able to actively support forces' charities, institutions and causes.

Our 2004 brochure is now available and inquiries are welcome.

Further information and tour brochure will be sent on receipt of an addressed A5 envelope and 44p stamp. - Andrew Naden, The War Research Society, The Lodge, Wensley, Leyburn DL8 4HN.

ROYAL MAIL

IT is fairly clear that in the postal workers' dispute there are glaring faults on both sides.

Certainly, the workers themselves have no right whatsoever to jeopardise small businesses, as they are doing, not that wild-cat strikes are ever justified, whatever the issue.

But it is equally clear that the present impasse is the deplorable outcome of a long history of management ineptitude and insensitivity, culminating in the perpetration of what was perceived by workers as a major injustice.

Obviously, therefore, the Royal Mail cannot keep its house in order and its monopoly being a matter of life and death, for businesses and possibly for individuals, that monopoly should be withdrawn. - T Kelly, Crook.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

HOW many more Tory leaders will bite the dust before the Conservative Party accepts that it is policies and not personalities which the public needs?

Most Tory policies are either non-existent or are outdated remnants from the 1990s.

Labour itself has proved totally unstable on foreign policy, transport and universities, to name just a few examples.

We need new policies, which surely may mean new people, and possibly also even new parties. - E Turnbull, Gosforth.

RIO FERDINAND

BEING able to think of one problem only at any one time, I sympathise with Rio Ferdinand's apparent forgetful episode with regard to a drugs test.

The FA handled this in the worst possible way, naming him before the hearing, so he could not play for England against Turkey.

I think the FA should give him the benefit of the doubt and let him off with a warning. And I hope they have learned something from this. - FM Atkinson, Shincliffe.

FIREWORKS

HOW many more times, at this season of the year, must we read of children being seriously injured and animals killed because of the misuse of fireworks (Echo, Oct 28)?

The annual cry goes out to ban all fireworks except for organised displays. Each year distressed people cry over their maimed children and hope that somebody will take notice and enforce a ban.

Removing fireworks from general sale would be such a simple and sensible way to save lives, prevent injury, cruelty and damage to property. The passing years have shown there will always be a few idiots who are intent on misusing fireworks. As long as they can get their hands on fireworks, things won't improve. Time to take away their "fun" for the sake of the rest of the community. - EA Moralee, Billingham.