Sir, - Teesside has the sixth highest cancer death rate (D&S 14 July), yet recently it was stated that "the Tees Health Study 1991-95 found little evidence to substantiate residents' concerns"; according to a spokesman for Corus (formerly British Steel) "the four-year study completed five years ago failed to highlight any significant links between ill-health and industrial emissions on Teesside."

In fact, the Tees Health Study states: "The high rates (of lung cancer) found in Eston could not be accounted for by age or smoking," No other. factors could be found to account for "the unusually high rates of death from the causes in question in the areas closest to industry."

"Lung cancer (particularly) deaths are in our judgment compatible with a contributory role for industrial pollution."

"For women there is a clear and statistically significant gradient across Teesside ... in deaths from lung cancer, with the highest rates closest to industry."

Any effect on the male population living near heavy industry is less straightforward, it being (predominantly) also their place of work.

The study adds: "The most important evidence relates to deaths from lung cancer among women ... slightly more than half of the 36 lung cancer deaths among women under 65 in Grangetown and South Bank would not have occurred if the mortality rate of the Sunderland zone had applied,"

"We conclude that there is an association between proximity to industry and excess of lung cancer deaths among women between 1981 and 1991, Neither chance, nor artifact nor any alternative explanation suffices to explain the observed gradient satisfactorily,"

"All we can state is that women in (Grangetown north and south, and South Bank, or Dormanstown, Portrack and Tilery) would appear to have 25-65% excess risk of dying of lung cancer than their counterparts in the comparitor areas within Teesside,"

The study concludes: "Overall ... the evidence ... points towards, rather than away from, the association between proximity to industry and high rates of lung cancer mortality being a result of an underlying mechanism related to industry and industrial pollution."

J D JACKSON

Thornaby Road,

Thornaby-on-Tees.

What's going on?

Sir, - Does the technical services dept of Redcar & Cleveland Council really know what is going on with the Loftus Bank stabilising scheme.

Over the last 2 weeks 1 have heard both the director and assistant director say that the road had been closed 2/3 times over this period. As I write this letter it has been closed for 16 consecutive nights since July 2.

Another point worth mentioning is the method to be used to complete this scheme. One of them says that pre cast concrete is to be used, whilst the other one says that gambions are to be used.

I would have thought, seeing as the road is to be totally closed in about two weeks for the final work to be completed, this would have been decided some time ago.

The original price for this work was estimated at £1.25m which has now escalated to £2.9m. This final figure is not to be totally underwritten by the government and I have a letter in my possession proving that, in fact £1m will have to be found by us, the council tax payers.

Finally, is there any truth in the rumour that is going around that the sewer that was constructed at the bottom of the valley has cracked? If it is more money will have to be found. The final amount could possibly have built us a much needed by-pass.

D MAGOR

Hartington Street,

Loftus.

A great week

Sir, - I write to congratulate Mr John Sheehan and his fellow members of the Northallerton and District Local History Society on the hugely successful Millennium Festival week which has just drawn to a close.

The effort and organisation in arranging such a week much have been immense.

My family and I attended the plays put on by the Allerton Players and the performance by the North Country Theatre. Both were very much enjoyed by an appreciative audience.

The Millennium History day on the 16 was a fitting climax to the week. There were a huge number of societies and organisations present at various venues throughout the town. All were interesting - especially the society members in period costume on the Applegarth park. The mock Battle of the Standard was very much enjoyed.

Northallerton is sometimes seen as lacking a cultural centre - the Society certainly stepped in to fill this gap.

J BROWN

Crosby Road,

Northallerton.