EUROPEAN MATTERS: SOME of The Northern Echo HAS correspondents seem to adopt the same head-in-the-sand views of the European elite rulers.

Their condescending remarks about lack of understanding, negativity, emotions rule logic and narrow issues, suggesting that only a limited few of superior intellect are able to understand EU matters, show their complete disregard for democracy.

Like the elite, they will have to face the fact that a majority of Europe's citizens want to cooperate in a Europe that does not take away their freedom to decide their own affairs.

Their ridiculous claim that the Union has kept the peace over the last 50 years is matched only by their refusal to accept the problems caused for many EU countries by the single currency, as forecast by euro realists. We now await a period of reflection as our Prime Minister decides how to wriggle out of his previous deceptions about 3.5 million jobs at risk, isolation and economic meltdown if we did not join the euro, which is exactly what is happening in EU countries. - John Heslop, Gainford.

ADULT LEARNING

RE your recent article (Echo, May 27) which highlighted Government cuts in adult learning.

The Association of Colleges is running a national campaign and petition to protect adult learning, backed by your local colleges.

Colleges across the country are being forced to cut a range of courses - including painting and decorating, IT, engineering, plumbing, first aid, sign language, evening A-level classes and courses for students with special needs.

Support from students, staff, parents and local employers is vital to ensure that every college has sufficient funds to continue to provide for all adult learners across the community.

Readers can register their concern by signing the AoC petition at: www.aoc.co.uk - Dr John Brennan, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges.

RUBBISH DISPOSAL

WE have continued to progress through life with our rubbish collection and with our rubbish disposal engineers (new fancy name).

The old way was in bins, then bags, then bins and bags. Now, in the new millennium, we have the wheelie bin.

The great warrior binmen were grotty, intelligent beings, now they are tidy idiots.

Take my rubbish - and I wish someone would. From my yard there are three steps to the pavement. Under the bag system I sometimes left my bags in the yard. The binmen were trained to enter yard, pick up bags, dispose the same, leave new bag. OK.

New system. Regardless of health of resident, wheelie bin must be up the steps onto the footpath or it is not emptied.

Also, bins must have lids closed. We also have special bins for paper, glass, tins, (it's called recycling). This system also has rules. Bins must be placed on kerbs as per wheelie bins. Cardboard boxes must be broken and laid flat.

Mine this week: cardboard in bin, newspapers taped in bundles. I suddenly found I had six cardboard boxes inside each other which I hurriedly placed on top of the pile (unbroken boxes).

Guess what. Everything was collected except the unbroken boxes. The binmen were unable to decide what to do so they left them.

Motto: if confused, abandon items. I dread to think what the future holds for these engineers. - JA Stott, Hunwick, Bishop Auckland.

SAFETY FIRST

DRIVING a dark coloured car, I have realised that, in certain conditions - gloomy wet days - dark cars are not easy to see, especially against a dark background of, say, tall trees.

More than once, when turning at a T-junction, I have looked once, missed seeing an approaching car (without lights on) and then realised the vehicle's presence with a second look.

'Parking' lights on a dark day make a safe difference. - FM Atkinson, Shincliffe.

STABLE HORROR

I WAS extremely shocked and upset to read about the horrible fate of the animals found in a stable in Trimdon (Echo, June 4).

How did this terrible state of suffering occur when dogs will normally bark to be heard and why was no-one aware of these trapped animals?

To inflict pain on innocent animals is one of the worst things in life because they only give love and affection. They bring joy in a world of violence. - Janet Cummings, Rugby.

HOSPITALS PRAISED

I was rushed to Darlington Memorial Hospital recently with heart problems, spent four hours on machines then was rushed through to Bishop Auckland. I was kept in for two weeks on wards two and five.

All the doctors and staff in both hospitals were very kind to me. Thanks are due for the good, hard work they do. - Mary Kerr, Newton Aycliffe.

CHEERS, MIKE

I FEEL Mike Amos was a little unkind when stating: "Dylan Thomas with Haguesque implausibility claimed to have had 40 pints in a day".

William Hague claimed that he once drank 14 pints on a delivery round.

May I point out that, according to the Guinness Book of records, Mr George Wingfield, in Knutsford High Street, drank 45 pints between 12.15pm and 2.38pm on December 22, 1986.

A feat which has since been beaten many times. Fourteen pints a day is hardly earth-shattering. - Ken Stephens, Richmond.

GIVE BLOOD PLEA

WORLD Blood Donor Day is being hosted by the National Blood Service (NBS) of England and North Wales tomorrow.

The day offers us the opportunity to thank voluntary blood donors across the country and around the world for their generous gift of blood that saves and improves people's lives.

I know the priceless contribution that donors make - my sister-in-law required two blood transfusions while she was in the womb. Without them, she would not be with us today and neither would her children.

The need for blood is universal and many people know of someone who has either needed a blood transfusion or required blood for other procedures such as cancer.

The NBS needs to collect 8,000 donations of blood every day across England and North Wales and last year it collected over 2.3 million donations from 1.3 million donors. Many lives were improved or saved due to these donations. Currently, only six per cent of the eligible population are blood donors.

If you would like to become a blood donor, please call the National Donor Helpline on 0845 7711711 or visit www.blood.co.uk. - Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

RED SQUIRRELS

I AM writing to you re an article (Echo, June 4) about a red squirrel sighting on the golf course at Bishop Auckland.

Myself and my grandchildren were walking in Bishop's Park, Bishop Auckland about four to five years ago. We saw a red squirrel then so they have been around a while.

Across the river in the park we have also spotted deer. - B Hull, Bishop Auckland.