Why no ceremony to mark D-Day?

How did we show the debt we owe for the freedom we have enjoyed for the last 60 years, how did we show our children how much we owe the men who had to go fight and in some cases die for the enslaved peoples of Europe?

Well, we, or should I say Skipton Town Council, who are the local representatives responsible for these events, took no action at all.

It's an absolute disgrace they didn't think it was important enough to organise a parade and service to show how much we owe these old soldiers, sailors and airmen.

This isn't about glorifying war - it's about showing our children peace sometimes has to be fought for.

The young men who fell on that day 60 years ago were not much older than my granddaughter. We have to continue to show our young people, the future of our great country, that we must stand up to aggression. If we allow our history to be forgotten so quickly it will repeat itself.

As for the old servicemen who served in that terrible conflict, we cannot let them grow old and frail with the feeling they just wasted their time and their mates died for a country which doesn't give a toss.

We must show our gratitude to them and if that means going out of our way to tell them so, then so be it. The majority of the old boys said they felt they were fighting for their children and grandchildren, the amount of young children at the Normandy commemorations showed it was worth it; how many of them would have been around if things had gone the other way?

The French people and their children showed us up, they showed what their freedom means to them. They know if the Allies had not landed that day, their nation would have been lost forever.

So Town Council get your finger out, forget your politics, you've got 10 years to arrange to make up for it.

I know a special service was organised in York last Sunday but not everyone would have been able to attend, and it's not always about attending the big official events. That is why there are so many war memorials all over the country. Hang your heads in shame and thank God there is the British Legion - they will never forget. "We will remember them"

Mr ES Atkinson,

Broughton Grove,

Skipton.

SIR - Are we now all going clean off our trolleys, or is it just me?

I refer made to the appointment made by the Craven Crime Reduction Partnership (whatever that is supposed to represent) of a new anti-social behaviour co-ordinator.

And on their prime crime target agenda? Children playing football in the street!

What the heck is wrong with that?

Indeed there are children kicking and heading a ball just outside my house as I write this piece. Good old-fashioned social skills and organisation skills, I would describe their practice - and character building for good measure.

But do I now shout "stop it kids, or I'll phone the police"?

Or, perhaps, instead spoon them a bit of 'waccy baccy', a few cans of lager, ensure that they all stop off school, trailing and pilfering around the shopping areas, and ensure that their dogs foul every recreation area around?

No doubt this recently contrived Crime Reduction Partnership and new appointment will be reflected in another hike in the council tax, so my own recommendation would be to simply leave the social skills of footballers alone and start tackling the real anti-social issues.

What then are the real issues? How much space do you have Mr Editor?

Roger Ingham,

Aldersley Avenue, Skipton.

SIR - it was highlighted on Question Time last week that the bar code on the postal voting paper incorporates the name and address of the sender and that is contrary to the voting ethic in this country.

Peter Hodge, Hebden.

SIR - I read with astonishment this week that, in the lead-up to the European Elections, The Green Party has declared itself "opposed to angling as a bloodsport" and in favour of promoting "the voluntary cessation of angling through public education".

Yes, that's right. The Green Party wants to ban angling. Without anglers and angling our waterways would be in a dire state, fish stocks and biodiversity would be pathetic, tourism would suffer and you can guarantee that public investment would not match the economic benefits the sport brings.

The £15 million generated annually by rod licences alone is directly invested by the Environment Agency in cleaning, restocking and preserving our waterways, not just for anglers, but for everyone.

Britain's 3.5 million anglers, and 25 million more across Europe, have done far more for rivers and still water habitats than the Green Party ever has.

Rather than turn its back on angling, the party should be actively embracing it.

Charles Jardine

Director

Countryside Alliance Campaign for Angling

367 Kennington Road, London.

SIR - Cutting the verges of our rural roads is necessary. However, if this is done before July, many beautiful wild flowers, such as melancholy thistle, wood cranesbill and bistort, which are special to limestone uplands of the north, are mown down before they can seed.

Wild creatures, such as the pied wagtail, use the longer grass for nesting. Their young need time to grow.

Please, please let us show that we respect the wild life of the Dales and put off the grass cutting till July - and give plants, birds and other creatures a chance.

Hilary Fenten,

The Shaws,

Selside, Settle.

SIR - I am writing regarding a letter published in your letters page (Craven Herald June 4) by the Green Party Candidate J Max Ackroyd.

This particular letter was written with only one aim in mind: to secure a number of votes from the residents of Cononley who are opposed to the development of housing at Aireside.

This letter was purely opinion and contained little fact, as Mr Ackroyd would realise if he studied the plans more thoroughly as have we.

The gentleman stated that his cellars have flooded twice in the previous three years and although I offer him my utmost sympathy, it is obvious that his house is more susceptible to flooding than those of Aireside, which have only ever suffered flooding once, along with many others in the Aire Valley, due to adverse weather conditions.

As I am sure Mr Ackroyd well knows, this particular development provides the residents of Aireside with a wall to protect properties from further flooding. If the development does not go ahead, then will the Green Party be willing to provide funding for flood defences?

When the ice cream factory is demolished due to it being deemed unsafe by the planning officer and structural engineers it will then leave the properties open to the elements if the proposed development is not carried out.

The candidate believes that "the unique essence and integrity of the village would be destroyed by the arrival of this suburban invader", and I ask him if he considers the area as it is unique and integral?

I for one do not consider a continually deteriorating site as a compliment to the village and it is hardly a suitable entrance to an otherwise charming community.

If the houses will be "unsaleable" then why have many of the existing properties sold within 24 hours of going on the market, when the buyers are aware of the flooding? On more than one occasion buyers have pulled out because of the development's refusal.

The eligible voters of this household were considering voting for the Green Party but after reading the candidates letter have since changed their views, due to feeling that once again our views have been disregarded.

Sally Mitchell,

Aireside, Cononley.

SIR - It was interesting to note a few replies to my letter about church bells.

We moved to Giggleswick purely to live near the school; had we known how often and how loudly the bells are rung we would definitely have picked a property a bit further away from them.

Does the fact that something is a tradition necessarily make it more acceptable?

Also, I notice that no-one has answered my challenge to come and show me the Scripture in the Bible where Christ requested church bells.

May I take the chance of thanking my friends who agreed with me, but who didn't write in, for their support of my letter.

As yet there is still freedom of speech in this country and I will continue to exercise my right to express a point of view while this is the case.

J Canaway,

Giggleswick.

SIR - On the anniversary of D-Day, complaints about the sound of the bells at Giggleswick seems a bit untimely.

Bells have always been associated with freedom and liberty - that's why the Nazis removed them from every place they occupied.

I have just been re-reading extracts from the diaries of the artist and designer, Mary Kessel.

On Friday September 14 1945, she wrote: "I was told about the bells near the submarine pens. Bells from all over Europe, that were to be melted down for the Nazi war effort..."

Tuesday, September, 18: "I have seen the bells. Hamburg is in a thunderstorm; the flat skylines with lonely buildings puffing out smoke. The lamb tethered to a disused railway track, bleating: the only sign of life. Bells everywhere. Bells to touch and tap... Great ones, little ones, that rang the time. Ones with inscriptions, 'I sing the Dead'...Bells that were hurtled into the waters and have been salvaged again, a grey yellow colour. Bells from all over Europe. Silent stacks that dwarf us as we walk. Fancy putting one's arms around bells. They told the whole story of the war, for everywhere the Germans went, there stood the bells."

Mary Kessel was also the official war artist at the liberation of Belsen.

"Saturday August 11. The Yugo-Slavs go home. They met in the square this morning, hundreds of them, old and young, and hundreds of other inhabitants of Belsen to see them off. There were flags, trees and lorries, trumpets and bells and much singing..."

Perhaps those who dislike the bells would find the coincidence of the tethered lamb near the bells sufficient symbolism to satisfy his Christian needs and during the short time the bells are rung, remember the greater injustices of the world. Long may bells continue to ring for liberty.

Derrick McRobert,

Abbey Mill View,

Knaresborough.

SIR - I have just read Friday's Craven Herald report about a planning application deferred for houses and units at the old garage site at Clapham.

The Craven District Council planning committee have said that it has not been marketed properly. The planning committee should take a look at how many large, established businesses have ceased trading recently in the Craven area.

Large businesses are no longer viable in small rural areas.

More attention should be paid to providing small units on industrial estates rather than housing complexes.

In Settle we have an industrial estate which has been flooded with residential houses. Surely it would make sense for industrial units to be placed here.

It seems to me that the council is being hypocritical in its decisions, making a mockery of the whole situation.

TA Robinson,

Town Head Way,

Settle.

SIR - Help! We read not only in the Craven Herald but other papers about anti-social and irresponsible dog owners - ie owners who let their dogs foul pavements, footpaths, parks, playing fields etc.

But anti-social and irresponsible cat owners?

Ah!, I hear a lot of Herald readers say. Cats kill birds and are a nuisance to gardens - yes, I agree, but there are steps that can be taken against this.

I live in a ground floor flat and during the recent warm weather I have been unable to leave doors and windows open. Why? Because of a tom cat who comes in and leaves his calling card.

To date I have had to have curtains and carpets cleaned to remove the smell.

If any readers come up with a solution I would be very grateful. I have two cats of my own - both have been neutered.

Mrs J Mason,

Duke Street, Settle.

SIR - With regard to the new zoo, the chief protagonists keep telling us there are two sides to the story.

On the one hand we have the owners and their supporters who say that they treat their animals as though they are family and have consequently shown them a lifetime of love and care.

On the other hand, the zoo protesters produce documentary evidence from the RSPCA, zoo inspectors and qualified vets etc that emphatically indicates that welfare of the zoo animals has been seriously compromised for years.

Being of a sceptical nature, I have checked out the authenticity of the protesters claims and to my surprise, I have found out that what they say is true.

As such, I can only conclude that the zoo owners and their supporters are either misleading the public over how they've kept their animals for all these years or, alternatively, they are unaware that their treatment of these animals constitutes a serious welfare problem.

Either way, the prognosis is not good. It seems to me that if we allow the owners to run the new zoo, animals (be they an elderly lioness or crested newt!) will suffer.

Frank Hudson,

Gargrave Road, Skipton.

SIR - Regarding Mr Hartley's letter 'The Worst Zoo' (Craven Herald, May 28), he says much about what the inspectors found wrong at Southport, but does not say if these faults were rectified. Nor does he have any suggestions on how to improve conditions for these animals.

It is easy to be negative and critical, but the situation needs constructive action.

What is wrong with removing them from this cramped site, away from the stress of noise and light pollution of the now super fairground? (it was far more sedate in my youth!).

I understand his concerns, but not his action. Why is he so anti-relocation? And what is his solution?

Jean Dixon,

Three Peaks, Ingleton.

SIR - As a Green, I wouldn't be at all surprised if fuel protests break out again. Successive governments have created a situation where, for many people, there is no choice but to use fossil-fuel driven cars.

Alternatives exist, but the government will not give them a fair chance.

Bio-diesel is produced using vegetable oil. Widespread use would reduce our dependence on the Middle East (good for world peace), and cut our carbon emissions. It would also be good for farmers.

The only reason that the UK isn't producing a lot more bio-diesel is that Gordon Brown insists on taxing it harshly, so that it costs the same as fossil fuel from Saudi Arabia.

It is wrong for the government to tax people when they do the right thing for the environment and for Britain.

However, as well as moving to greener fuels, we also need to move away from dependence on car use. This means much better funded public transport, as well as ensuring communities have decent local amenities, so that people don't need to jump in the car every time they want to do something.

Moving to more local food production would also reduce the amount of traffic on our roads.

Mark Hill

Euro-election candidate

Yorkshire Green Party