HAVING read the seemingly unending controversy in Hear All Sides over an appropriate name for the proposed Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) with increasing exasperation, I feel I must put in a plea for sanity on this issue.

The area bounded by Hartlepool, Redcar, the conurbation of Middlesbrough, Stockton, Norton, Thornaby, etc, and Darlington can by no stretch of the imagination be described as being in the Tees Valley. They lie in a plain, most barely 25 metres above sea level.

Gainford, Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale on the other hand can be said to be in Teesdale proper.

Might I suggest that the area from Darlington to the sea be called “Teesside Plain” because Hartlepool in particular is not strictly on the River Tees like the vast majority of the agglomeration of townships comprising the area.

On the subject of our airports, Newcastle Airport is not called Newcastle, Gateshead, Low Fell and Sunderland Airport, nor Tyne and Wear Airport, so why have we to endure Durham Tees Valley Airport?

Surely Teesside should suffice, although I can see some logic in calling it Durham County Airport.

At least there is no suggestion for Darlington and Yarm Airport on the cards as yet.

Leslie Arnall, Darlington.