Letters

THE photograph of Hawker Hurricane Mk1 P2617 (Echo, Aug 19) on Palace Green between Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle has had some readers wondering why it was there.

The Hurricane served in France early in the Second World War. In the spring of 1940, along with 607 County of Durham Fighter Squadron Auxiliary Air Force, it flew from RAF Tangmere, Sussex.

607 Squadron was one of six Hurricane squadrons plus six Spitfire squadrons that made up the Auxiliary Air Force. The outcome of the battle for the survival of Britain could have been very different without those 12 auxiliary squadrons.

In March 1957 all of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force units were disbanded. On May 22, 1960, a ceremony was held on Palace Green where Hurricane P2617 stood.

The standard of 607 Squadron awarded by the Queen was paraded on the Green. It went past 607 Squadron's Hurricane in the presence of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle and was marched into the cathedral where a service was held.

The standard now hangs above the 607 Squadron war memorial in the south transept of Durham Cathedral.

Today, Hurricane Mk1 2617 is in the Battle of Britain Hall in the RAF Museum, Hendon, London, a real survivor. - L Henderson, Durham.

As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, it seems appropriate to pay tribute to "The Few".

Many of those who fought in the Battle were in their late teens and early twenties, had received little training and were inexperienced in aerial combat.

Despite being heavily outnumbered by Goering's Luftwaffe, our brave pilots took on wave upon wave of fighters and bombers. While the Hawker Hurricane would claim the majority of victories, it was the Supermarine Spitfire that came to epitomise the spirit of defiance which existed among the British people.

If RAF Fighter Command had failed in defeating the enemy, all hope of one day liberating Europe would have been lost. Indeed, the nation's survival rested upon the 3,000 or so pilots that took part in the Battle, many of whom came from the Commonwealth nations, Poland, Czechoslovakia, France, Belgium and the US.

We should never forget the contribution made by "The Few" - including the ground crews - without whom victory would not have been possible. The debt we owe them can never be repaid but we can remember the sacrifices they made so that we can live in freedom today. - Robert Ludlow, Spennymoor.

FORBIDDEN CORNER

THE decision to allow the Forbidden Corner in delightful Coverdale to continue is a victory for common sense, but everyone must realise that such a phenomenal attraction has to have strict planning controls on it.

Maybe not everyone agrees with its effect on Coverdale, but I would argue that it has breathed new life into this neglected and secluded dale.

The powers-that-be are often afraid and suspicious of invention and innovation.

Innovators should not be stifled and unfairly subjected to often staid and sterile planning laws which are far too rigid.

So I say good luck to the Forbidden Corner - a planning decision which is undoubtedly the ultimate folly. - Ken Jackson, Northallerton.

YOUR (otherwise fine) paper's editorial comment (Echo, Aug 15) on the Forbidden Corner decision missed the real point.

The owner's architect was well aware of planning regulations - it's part of his training. He knew that building garden follies and features, for his own enjoyment, didn't transgress those regulations.

The owner must have known that to commercialise that garden, by charging admission and flooding every pub, hotel and whatever within a 50-mile radius with commercially-printed tourist leaflets which encouraged coach trips to visit, did transgress those regulations.

Every sob story that followed was crocodile tears. The owner made it "popular" and commercial by his own actions. That's why the National Park planners acted against this environmentally-unacceptable commercial development.

It is a disgrace that he "got away with it" because, if he had applied for planning permission first, it would have been refused and he would have lost the subsequent appeal.

If I built a large garage in my garden that didn't need planning permission and then started selling cars, or wine, or sports/leisure goods, I'd expect to be "done" by the planners. Many thousands of UK residents have to apply for permission for some domestic (even minor) extensions and are refused each year because their proposals are environmentally unacceptable.

But that is why we have planning regulations.

Surely, condoning such flagrant flouting of regulations that apply to everyone else is not responsible journalism. - Name supplied, Acklam, Middlesbrough.

PENSIONER POVERTY

REPORTS on pensioner poverty in the North-East seem to assume that retirement is a homogenous experience. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Retirement is a diverse phenomenon and heavily influenced by cultural and economic factors. It is a class-related institution. A significant number of the middle class over 60s do have access to material resources, a lot of it accumulated earlier in life, and are living comfortably on occupational pensions.

Between 1979 and 1997, the incomes of the richest fifth of pensioner couples grew by 80 per cent over inflation, as more people drew work-related pensions.

Yet, a large number of people in the North-East do experience poverty in old age, especially working class women and men.

If we are serious in tackling pensioner poverty, big rises in the basic state pension for everyone, ranging from the duke to the dustman, are not the way forward. A substantial rise in the Government's Minimum Income Guarantee to £90 would be a step in the right direction to ensure that the region's poorer pensioners share in the rising prosperity of the nation. - Stephen Lambert, Communications Manager, Newcastle Central Labour Party.