Sir, - On Saturday evening I, along with many other people, attended the final event of the Bedale 750 celebrations.

That was a bonfire and brilliant fireworks display with music. On behalf of many local people who have attended the events held over the summer months to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the granting of the Bedale market charter I should like to say a big "thank you" to the organisers and sponsors, not least yourselves at the Darlington and Stockton Times, for the wonderful entertainment that we have had.

One of the aims of the festival was to bring the people of Bedale and the surrounding district closer together. Judging by the numbers who attended the many events, this has certainly been achieved.

Many people have said how much they have enjoyed the festival so once again many thanks, on behalf of many people, to all those who made it possible. Who knows this may just be the catalyst for many more good things to come for Bedale.

CHRIS CARRUTHERS

Thornton Watlass,

Ripon.

Makes you proud

Sir, - Fantastic and majestic are two words that come to mind when I think of the firework display Bedale 750 committee put on. The whole show was excellently well-managed and the spread of food was really great.

The whole firework display was carried out to classical music, and even if you were not a classics person, you would have felt the electric atmosphere from everyone around. The displays at Disney World would have been pushed into the background by this display.

I thank the committee of Bedale 750 for the proud moment that they produced, and I know all people around the world looking at us on the internet will feel similarly.

M E McGOWAN,

Bedale Road,

Aiskew.

Best ever

Sir, - I just had to put pen to paper to thank the people of Bedale for their spectacular firework display on Saturday evening, the best I have ever witnessed. The event flamed smoothly, everyone was extremely well behaved and the music accompanying the display was tremendous; in fact, we as a family who attended, wondered whether there was maybe a CD available for purchase.

Well done Bedale, an excellent evening was had by all.

Mrs M MURRAY,

Kendal Close,

Darlington

Wonderful you

Sir, - Every year Richmond Town Council has a fireworks display in the castle. Without the legion of volunteers it would not be possible to do this.

We would like to thank the duck club, Barry Proctor, Lord Tool Hire, Castle Print, the King's church, Richmond Live, Peter Grant of Magic 1170, St John Ambulance, venture scouts, Stablers, Studio Five, The Co-op, Richmond Meet and Mike Eastman for their continued support.

The biggest thank you goes to the people of Richmond who came and made it such a successful night. See you all again next year.

COUN LINDA CURRAN,

Chair of fireworks committee,

COUN TOM BURROWS,

Mayor of Richmond.

Why the noise

Sir, - Why do we have to put up with the noise of fireworks for weeks? I can remember when November 5 was just that, unless it fell on a Sunday then it was held on the Saturday.

It seems to get worse each year. We had four nights of it; bang, bang, bang, boom. Why?

M ROBSON

Glen Avenue,

York.

Leisure for some

Sir, - Copies of the Curlew, the newspaper of Richmondshire District Council fell on council tax payers doorsteps over the last week or so.

The headline was about a £760,000 investment by the council on new and improved leisure facilities, mainly in Richmond and Catterick.

I do not begrudge better facilities in these communities, but they do already have significant facilities, whereas a large part of the district, particularly the national park area, has none.

If children in Arkengarthdale want to kick a football, they have to do so in the road, and the situation is little better in the whole of Swaledale.

The district council needs to consider whether it serves the whole district or whether, as I have often suggested, it should be renamed to Richmond District Council as it does not serve Richmondshire.

DAVID WILLIAMS,

Langthwaite.