Letters

I OFTEN have overseas visitors and always take them along the Darlington/Northallerton Road to see the obelisk recording the Battle of The Standard, an epic in the history of this area, and the countryside where this battle took place.

This monument is part of our heritage. Last week I was horrified to discover that thieves had vandalised it, removing the two metal plaques and causing damage.

Another sign of these times when nothing is revered and human lice are at work. - Ray Wallace Thompson, Stockton.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

I AM growing more and more concerned about the misuse of the English language.

There are quiz show contestants asking for haitch instead of an aitch, television presenters talking about roar reggs instead of raw eggs and drawrings instead of drawings.

Then, there are money experts who talk about a firm making a loss. This is a contradiction in terms. You can either make money or you can lose money, but you can't do both at the same time.

Even the politicians are joining in by talking about someone called Laura Norder instead of Law and Order.

Top authors such as Ruth Rendell, Jeffrey Archer and Dick Francis are starting sentences with And. This word is a conjunctive and should only be used to join two words together. Even The Northern Echo is guilty of this misuse. - Geoff Howe, Darlington.

SCHOOLS SPORT

IN the last few weeks, we have witnessed the Darlington Primary Schools Football and Netball tournaments and have seen hundreds of local youngsters provide exciting sporting displays filled with enthusiasm, good sportsmanship and skill.

The teaching staff, parents and spectators deserve applause for their support, but the real stars are the children.

There are 32 primary schools in Darlington. However, 19 schools entered the football and only 13 entered the netball championships. Where were the missing schools and why were their children not given the honour of representing their school?

Competitive sport is healthy, creates confidence and encourages positive teamwork and good sportsmanship and, most of all, is great fun.

So, come on the missing schools, the competitions are organised for you. All you have to do is join in the fun. - Paul Bielby, Darlington.

ROAD SAFETY

THE large number of injuries and deaths suffered by people who sit in broken-down cars on motorways could easily be eradicated if this country would adopt the German system.

Lay-bys and rest places on the autobahns are numerous; on some stretches, as frequent as every three or four kilometres.

Furthermore, they are always off the motorway and it would impossible to be hit by motorway traffic.

It would also help motorway safety in this country if there were stricter measures against lorry drivers who overtake on hills and then create lengthy tail-backs. Secondly, the selfish drivers who hog the middle lane should suffer penalties that would deter them.

Thirdly, there should be more realistic speed limits on motorways which would legally allow faster travel. Car drivers need to be able to escape the snarl-ups caused by lorries.

Finally, part of driver training and testing should be on motorways as there are too many drivers who have no knowledge of how to drive on motorways. - D Brearley, Middlesbrough.

JOHN PRESCOTT

WHEN John Prescott said he was eager to fight the General Election campaign, no one realised how literally he meant it.

Images of Britain's deputy prime minister brawling in the street were beamed around the world. John Prescott is certainly an embarrassment to his party, but he is a liability for the country.

New Labour promised so much, but after the behaviour of Messrs Prescott, Mandelson, Robinson and Vaz over the past four years, people are now seriously asking themselves if they want to give a second chance to a second-rate government. - Michael Fishwick, Durham.

I WAS astonished and somewhat saddened to read the comments (Echo, May 18) made by ex-Police Supt Brian (now Lord) Mackenzie in supporting the actions of John Prescott in the recent punch up incident.

I feel sure that in his role as a high-ranking police officer, Lord Mackenzie would almost certainly have suspended from duty any of his officers found to have behaved in a similar manner.

While not condoning in any way the appalling behaviour of the protestor, Mr Prescott, should have risen above the fray. Just imagine a situation where other professionals such as teachers, nurses, social workers or police officers reacted in a similar way. There would be suspension for months followed by a costly inquiry resulting in almost certain dismissal.

I cannot help but think that Lord Mackenzie has forgotten the principles of his background in favour of sticking to the party line as an appreciation for his peerage and I suspect that his support for John Prescott will disappoint many serving and retired police officers, of which I am one, who have struggled and are struggling to rid our country of the type of behaviour displayed by the deputy prime minister. - B Jones, Darlington.

HOSPITAL HYGIENE

ARTICLES (Echo, May 4 and 16) refer to dirty surgical instruments in North-East hospitals. Another report has referred to 5,000 deaths per year due to poor hygiene in NHS hospitals.

This surely is not due to lack of funding, but to a failure to follow well-established procedures. It may well be that not all cases of septicaemia are the result of poor hygiene, but those reports create a serious lack of confidence in our hospitals.

Alan Milburn, Health Secretary, could perhaps devote more time to these more mundane matters. - HD Allinson, Darlington.