IT is gratifying that at last there is some realisation of the environmental damage caused by the release of helium filled balloons and Chinese lanterns into the atmosphere.

I hope that The Northern Echo will take this on board and stop giving publicity to this irresponsible practice.

On another point: why, when I football team performs badly, does the manager always get the blame? You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

Peter Elliott, Eaglescliffe