Sir, - Following articles and reports in your newspaper on the state of the River Leven in Stokesley, I should like to support the efforts and concerns of residents and voluntary groups who try to keep the river area tidy.

The ageing voluntary groups which work hard to keep Stokesley a pleasant place to live often feel that they are being used by local authorities absolving them from their responsibilities.

At a parish council meeting, the chairman stated that he was to call upon a local volunteer group to take on more work on the river bank. My question is what is the parish council doing?

The river bed and much of the banks and berms are classed as manorial land, this being a trust under the control of the parish council.

Income from this trust amounts to something like £20,000 per year, yet not one penny of this money is spent on manorial land. Some of this money should be spent on repairing the river banks, draining the berms, clearing the river bed, these being just some of the matters which should be the concern of the parish council members as trustees.

Many suggestions have been put forward over the last few years but the situation continues to deteriorate. We have had enough talk and reports on the state of the river, let us see some action.

FRANK CUTHBERT

Tameside,

Stokesley.

Other needs

Sir, - Before yet more resources are made available to the Civic Society River Leven project (D&S February 22) consideration should be given to the other residents and Stokesley's needs.

The Mill Riggs from Cleveland Avenue to Safeway is now in a disgraceful state, strewn with broken wood pallets, broken 12in drain pipes and building debris.

Last year, the council undertook repair work to improve the pathway, which was almost immediately undone with the start of Barratts, Eastfield housing development. This year, after the completion of the site, further remedial work was undertaken on replacing the estate surface water drains, during which time Mill Rigg was the main throughfare for all mechanical devices.

Mill Rigg is an old Stokesley right of way. In its present condition, with standing water on thick mud, it presents a danger to young and old.

C H WELLSHIRE

Cleveland Avenue,

Stokesley.

No quarrel

Sir, - I am writing on behalf of the association in response to your reporter's account of a recent interview concerning the role of the Stokesley Pride in our Town Association after its tenth anniversary of work for the town (D&S, Feb 22).

I would like to correct one or two misconceptions that may arise.

Firstly, the association is very aware of the great work being done by the Environment Agency within the scope of its remit in regard to the River Leven and has no quarrel with what has been and is being done.

Secondly, the association is very anxious that the Leven through Stokesley should not revert to the situation before the flood relief scheme was implemented in 1979. The town has enjoyed many flood-free years and should continue to do so.

I have to make it clear that the association's major concern is that the river's ambience is being allowed to decay through lack of overall attention. Several organisations are expressing concern; several ideas are being put forward but there is no single organisation, public, community or private, seemingly able to take an overall view of the situation and apply the necessary authority for combined action.

The association is preparing an overall assessment and will present it to the parish council suggesting that, in order to restore Stokesley's river environment, major works have become necessary through years of neglect.

Funding is available from many sources for community improvement works. In order to secure this funding, it is necessary to compile projects on a co-ordinated basis with overall community input. In this task this association will be very willing to participate.

WILF TURNBULL

Honorary Secretary, Stokesley Pride in our Town Association

Manor Close,

Stokesley

Church bells

Sir, - What a splendid photograph of Topcliffe church by Nigel Whitfield you published recently. His picture imbued the church with a mystique not easy to obtain, or indeed, always present.

There has been a church on the site since 650AD, the original building would of course have been of wood. When the subsequent stone building had to have extensive repairs in the middle of the last century, the church was practically re-built. Now it is in need of extensive repairs again to make the tower safe and this will cost at least £100,000.

Fortunately, English Heritage has agreed to help with this, but it is on the condition that the local PCC finds the cost of re-conditioning the bells and their frame and the clock. This will cost about £30,000, an enormous sum for two small communities. However, local people have rallied round and supported fundraising events, and about half this sum has already been raised.

Much has yet to be done, but if the residents continue to back the committee organising and running the fundraising events as they have supported the refurbishing and installation of the Willis organ (now almost complete), the target should be reached.

JOHN WALTER

Topcliffe ,

Thirsk.