SIR - I must take issue with Mrs Copley with the comments in her letter of April 10. She says that people who dislike Bradford so much should "get up and go!".

I would suggest that most people who dislike living here have no choice in the matter as they, like myself, can't afford to move out.

Bradford seems to be the only city in the UK where the price of property is actually falling.

May I ask the good lady how I can afford to move when to sell my modest bungalow in Bradford, I'd have to pay nearly double for an identical one outside the area and over three times the price in the South of England?

Is the Council going to compensate me for the loss of value to my property over the last three years? I think not.

Still I suppose I'm just one of those whingeing moaners that Mrs Copley is talking about.

Peter R Bowers, Camellia Mount, Lidget Green, Bradford.

SIR - Firstly all democratically-minded people should congratulate the T&A for the front-page story (April 12) "Corruption Fears at the Polls". The very basic freedom of individuals is at stake.

The election board and the local Council, with their haphazard and non-accountability attitude, should have stopped this caper when it was first seen years ago.

Postal voting should be abolished now as this is the main reason for the corruptive situation.

I see there have been comments regarding the police investigating this situation. The police should not get involved in this. They have enough on with their own law-and-order commitments.

We need a special legal team of national status (not regional) of "untouchables" to sort it out once and for all.

With all the silly human rights for the "wrong 'uns" available and all the rights of the "right 'uns" being non-existent it will be interesting to see the results.

Derek Wright, Westbury Street, Bradford.

SIR - I was dismayed, though not surprised, by the letter "Planners aren't listening to us," from Donald Wood, Swan Avenue, Gilstead (Letters, April 11)

Typically, once again we have a complainant who himself lives in a recently-built house on a development which is very controversial to the Eldwick and Gilstead area.

Perhaps Mr Wood should "shut up" before he digs himself into a hole from which he becomes unable to get out.

It amuses (and angers) me no end the number of people who complain about planning matters concerning development for residential purposes, when really they have no place in such arguments when they purchase for themselves one of the properties on developments recently constructed which the local communities have fought lengthy battles against.

Mrs Gillian Anderson, Warren Lane, Eldwick.

SIR - I would welcome hearing from any cat lovers visiting Limassol in Cyprus in the immediate future. Last year I raised funds locally to have a colony of beach bar cats there neutered/spayed and several kittens rescued.

However I have just returned from a visit there where I found more young cats and kittens at desperation point.

I am trying to find help for them on the island but in the meantime anyone visiting the area from the Hotel Posedionia along the beach would be of enormous help if they could use funds to feed these poor, hungry creatures during their stay.

Suzanne Thorpe, 35 Bucknall Avenue, Lincoln, LN6 0BL.

SIR - A good way to build a community at Moor View, Queensbury: Have a communal area - maybe a park - where children can play together and adults can meet.

A bad way to build a community: Take the park away. Now there is nowhere in walking distance for children to go. Never mind, they can play individually behind our six-foot fences, while we stare out of the front windows, our eyes swivelling in little narrow slits every time somebody who doesn't look like they belong walks past.

How will the Council explain the park's disappearance to your young children?

Chris Perry, Stonehouse Drive, Queensbury

SIR - I am writing in reply to Mr Summers (Letters, April 8). Where I live we have not done so well with the Council. Our road was resurfaced early this year. When the old surface was taken up it disturbed gas pipes and we had leaks which have been repaired.

Transco finished their holes and say it is now up to the Council to do the remainder.

I can't congratulate them because my neighbour and myself have made phone calls to them. We're still waiting for completion.

A Sheard, Folly Hall Road, Wibsey.

SIR - With due respect to L Hobsbaum (Letters, April 3) the Muslims' precious lives have been made worthless by their worthless Muslim leaders and mass murderers. People have the right to defend themselves with the means at their disposal, including suicide.

Unlike L Hobsbaum, millions of people including Americans and British MPs, have been demonstrating all over the world against Bush and Blair's invasion/aggression against Iraq to kill innocent people. I wondered why politicians like Bush and Blair lie, cheat and deceive people instead of being honest and up-front? I know now, don't I?

Bush and Blair have violated and abused all the international laws and the Geneva Convention. Whether one likes it or not, Saddam Hussein and his army fought bravely without weapons against the super power and its allies.

Unlike Bush and Blair, Saddam is a most intelligent and responsible person who hasn't used weapons of mass destruction even in desperate situations, even if he had them. Bush, though, used illegal/forbidden weapons such as cluster bombs.

Mubarik Iqbal, Oulton Terrace, Bradford

SIR - Now that local election time is looming and we have been treated to yet another council tax rise, I have two requests or suggestions for potential councillors.

(1) Introduce a local law where it would be compulsory for people to keep their immediate areas clean and free of litter and dog dirt, and if necessary provide them with a sweeping brush. Looking at most houses and shops I doubt the owners would recognise one.

(2) Support abolition of the unelected quangos eg Bradford Vision, before we all drown in the sea of a waste of public money.

I'm looking forward to potential councillors calling at my door for support. This time I'll be ready for them.

Barry Foster, Gilstead Lane, Gilstead.

SIR - I am an ex-student of Shipley College. I was there from September 1982 to May 1983. During this time, I was on the BEC General Diploma Course (the course has since changed its name many times).

As well as full-time students, the course also had some part-time students and a small number of students who did the course by attending three days at college and two days at school.

I am trying to trace as many students as possible from this time. If you were a student at the same time as me or if you know someone else who was on the same course as me, please e-mail me at mnayimuk@yahoo.co.uk for a possible reunion or meeting to catch up with old times. Thank you!

Mohammed Nayim, Botany Avenue, King's Park, Bradford.