HEADSTONES SHOCK: ARE the relatives of people buried in the North Cemetery, Darlington, aware of the desecration that has been carried out to their loved ones' headstones?

Notices were put on loose headstones, but for people who do not visit very often I think it will be a shock to see the headstones laid flat when they do go to visit.

The cemetery was bad enough before, but now looks more like a bomb site.

More workers should be employed to bring it up to the standard of cemeteries outside of Darlington, which are beautiful. - Name and address supplied.

AIRPORT BUS

THERE is a rumour going round that airport bosses are offering a modest reward for anyone spotting a passenger on the 737 Airport Express bus.

These empty buses ply between Darlington railway station and Durham Tees Valley Airport (snappy title that). Since these brand new vehicles are grossly underused, they represent a waste of taxpayers' cash, while at the same time making a substantial contribution to traffic congestion and air pollution in the town.

The 737 is not used by local people because they make their own arrangements to get to the airport. And business people would not be seen dead on a bus. So, as things stand, nobody is seen on these buses, either dead or alive. Wouldn't it make more sense to pay a subsidy to taxis to offer a fixed rate fare between the town and airport - as they do at New York JFK? - Dr J Blades, Middleton St George.

TAXING TIMES

WHY are all these old folk's homes being closed down?

Do they not realise that these old people live there? It is their home, not a hotel, and to be suddenly thrown out is nothing less than criminal.

This Government has also closed down schools for disabled children because we have no money. We have people who cannot have the drugs they need because there is no money. Our health service is in an appalling mess because we have no money.

I wonder why we bother to vote for our MPs as they do not look after the people who have voted them in.

Since this Government came to power, all it has done is tax us to the hilt and still we have no money. What I suggest it does is to take all the money we need from the billions we give to Europe. - A Parkin, Bishop Auckland.

NICK GRIFFIN

PAUL Leake (HAS, Feb 24) is quick to criticise Stirling Lowery's letter (HAS, Feb 10) on details of Nick Griffin's trial.

Mr Leake, however, is incorrect on several matters. Firstly, he mentions the 12 members of the jury finding Mr Griffin not guilty on two of the charges. There were only 11 members of the jury, as one became ill and was dismissed.

He then states the BNP will 'show the door' to British people based on their skin colour (this is not BNP policy and was not in its 2005 manifesto), implying it is racist.

Mr Leake also criticises Mr Griffin for saying "Britain is becoming a multi-racial hell hole", but was it not Trevor Phillips of the CRE (Commission for Racial Equality) who similarly stated that "Britain is sleepwalking into racial segregation and in danger of creating US style ghettos"? - C Whelpdale, Spennymoor.

FOOTBALL CRACKDOWN

I WAS bemused after reading your story, Fans arrested in football crackdown (Echo, Mar 6).

The story ran that police were cracking down on potential troublemakers, ahead of this summer's World Cup and anyone engaging in football related disorder could face a football banning order.

What I would be interested to know is, how do the police link this to football related trouble/violence? The men were travelling to Manchester, not Rochdale, and although the two are close, does this mean they had intended to travel to the game?

Secondly, does this mean people who carry alcohol and a small amount of drugs are football hooligans?

What if they were just going for a night out in Manchester with drugs and alcohol, would this mean they would be only cautioned for the drug offence but allowed, if they decided, to attend a football game? Surely this is a infringement on their human rights?

Because of resources, the police cannot tackle crime holistically and therefore they should be focusing on real crimes that affect real people, not wasting time and energies on incidents such as this. - Darren Metcalfe, Darlington.

TELEVISION

GROWING up in the sixties, I recall those who were dismissive of the innovation we now have as a commodity of convenience. Television has come a long way, as well as being a source of entertainment.

The sixties' cynics feared TV would replace the art of conversation. Of course there are the programmes throughout the day and night, ranging from endless news and weather, peak time drama and documentary as well as the emergence in recent years of reality TV.

Don't get me wrong, television has an important role and function in society; it informs and inspires. It has as much influence, if not more than political mood swing. Images transmit in seconds and the consequences sometimes are far reaching.

But then lifestyles are very different to when television was launched. Patterns of work have changed and the choices available are increasing.

Whatever tastes you have, TV, it would seem, can provide for them. As TV has evolved, other technology is emerging. It seems that interaction is often in the technology we use, rather than in face-to-face contact and communication. - Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe.

GUANTANAMO BAY

AFTER reading Dr Glen Reynolds's article, Tough on terror - not soft on torture (Echo, Feb 21), one begins to wonder which planet he is living on.

He argues that the UK should disassociate itself from the US because it is holding in detention some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world.

To follow his argument to its logical conclusion means that the majority of people in the UK should not be too friendly with prison warders because they spend a large part of their time among convicted criminals.

Dr Reynolds and those who support his ideas in criticising the United States in its response to international terrorism reveal a natural inclination to selective condemnation.

They never mention the Indian and Chinese governments' attitude to the caste system and the sufferings of the Tibetan people in their statements. It was just over 60 years ago that Japan made a devastating surprise attack on the US and, a few years later, they lost two cities in ten seconds.

The situation at Guantanamo Bay demonstrates that the US is using humanitarian measures in resolving a dispute with a terrorist organisation whose methods belong to the Middle Ages.

The prisoners at Guantanamo Bay are not suffering, despite the picture shown with the article, because they know, on their release, the cameras will be rolling along with the waving cheque books and their first statement will most probably be: "Who needs a lawyer? Get me a banker." - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.