Sir, - Once again we hear there is going to be yet another Government Green Paper to give fathers who don't have full access to their children more rights.

Can I just ask them not to bother; all they will be doing is paying certain people a lot of money for nothing.

Why don't the people involved get a chance to have an input? I can tell you why, the powers that be wouldn't like the outcome.

As a grandmother who for no fault of her own hasn't seen her grandchild for over four years, I feel very aggrieved when people who don't know me or my family can sit in judgement.

We as a family have had to watch our son/brother go from an outgoing young man to a very sad and silent person.

The people who think they know all the answers should have been there when we accompanied our son (as requested by the so-called people who know all the answers) to mediation and to the one-to-one visits where the people who were supervising let the mothers sit in. When one father voiced his disapproval, he was more or less told to accept or leave.

When we had to pick up our grandchild for visits we were made to sit for ages because mum had decided she couldn't be bothered to walk up the road.

After all that my family has been through(and is still going through) you would think we would be very angry, but we aren't. We are very saddened that not only is our son and grandchild missing out on getting to know each another as a father and son should, we as grandparents are missing out on one of grandchildren. Sadly our grandchild is missing out on getting to know his cousins.

For obvious reasons you cannot print my name, but all I would like to say to a very much love and missed little person is, see you on a pom-pom.

NAME AND ADDRESS WITHELD BY AGREEMENT

Stokesley's Manor

Sir, - The report of the animated meeting about Stokesley Manor House (D&S, June 25)is lucid and comprehensive but there is a factual error which needs correction.

I moved a resolution "off the cuff" which was not as polished as I would have liked.

I moved that the parish council should consider proposals further and then come back to another public meeting. It was not possible at this stage to ask North Yorkshire County Council to do so as the report suggests

As to the county council it would be helpful if letters were addressed to The Director of Environmental Services, County Hall, Northallerton, asking that when a sale takes place parish council proposals are considered and some part of the Manor House is reserved for community purposes.

Hundreds signed my petition against the ludicrous North Road scheme. I can only hope that those who did so will make this further effort and write letters!

DAVID SIMON

Levenside,

Stokesley.

Blowing a trumpet

Sir, - Thank you for the report in last week's Cleveland edition, of me blowing a trumpet to draw attention to our Church Gift Day last Saturday for our Spire and Roof appeal.

Perhaps today you would allow me to blow the trumpet on behalf of all who turned out to make it such a success.

Despite a cold and rainy day around 20pc of the envelopes sent out were returned. £15,490 was given by a cross section of the community here in Great Ayton, who made the effort to give to show their support for the Church.

My thanks to them all for their kindness and generosity, with which I am delighted.

My thanks to you also, for the extremely helpful publicity we have received courtesy of your newspaper on this, and many other occasions. It is greatly appreciated and a most valuable service to the community.

Canon PAUL PEVERELL

The Vicarage,

Low Green,

Great Ayton.

Lord's connection

Sir, - Further to the letter from David Morris of Richmond (D&S, June 18), many of your readers may know the birthplace of Thomas Lord as 14 Kirkgate, Thirsk, but many may not know that in 1830 following the death of his wife two years earlier, he retired to West Meon in Hampshire. He died on January 13, 1832.

On July 14, 1955, to celebrate the bi-centenary of his birth, Viscount Cobham of the MCC unveiled an oak plaque in the cricket pavilion at Thirsk, made by Robert Thompson of Kilburn. This was followed by a cricket match, Thirsk and guest players versus Arthur Austin's Durham County XI.

Before the match Thirsk CC received a telegram from West Meon CC saying "Best wishes for the commemoration match, to you in Thomas Lord's birthplace, from us in his burial place".

On August 6, 1955, MCC played a cricket match against West Meon CC. Before lunch both teams walked to the churchyard, where the captains laid wreaths (in club colours). At the ground a telegram arrived from Thirsk CC "Thomas Lord born at Thirsk 1755, bowled out at West Meon, 1832, yet he is two hundred not out, best wishes Thirsk CC".

In 2005 we celebrate two hundred and fifty years of his birth and plans are being made for a cricket match between Thirsk CC and West Meon CC. The exciting news is that the match may take place on the nursery ground at Lord's.

I played many times at Richmond in the 1950-60 for Thirsk 2nd XI, in the now non-existent Vale of Mowbray league and remember Dereck Hammond as captain and his father as umpire.

We did not have tea on the ground, but went across the road to an hotel, suitably dressed wearing jackets and shoes. Great days.

PATRICK RUECROFT

Cundall Avenue,

Asenby,

Thirsk.