Cries of anger

Both are on a hiding to nothing. Week in, week out, this newspaper, and all other newspapers in this country, report crime increases.

Knowing him as I do I suggest that the outburst of Cllr Hudson was a cry of anger at those mealy mouthed politicians who talk and do nothing.

We public are not the complete fools the politicians take us for. All we ever get from politicians are articles in newspapers about crime.

Never any action, just words and shiny leaflets pushed through our letterboxes telling us what they are going to do.

Keighley councillor Brian Hudson and all other victims of crime are frustrated. Governments have used reports, working parties, focus groups, graphs, statistics, soothing words and plain old political spin to actually avoid doing anything about the situation.

It seems to me that our politicians should stay at home instead of junketing abroad on taxpayer's money and look hard at the crime situation we have in this country.

Chief Supt Sunderland and his men have the impossible job of cleaning up the mess in society that politicians have ignored.

Give the police the resources and then order the courts to protect the victims not the villains.

Cllr Kathrine Roberts

Brackenbank and Ingrow

Ward

SIR - It is with great distress that I read the Keighley News this week.

The Community Transport again had one of its buses destroyed, the Salvation Army had much damage and each was vandalism.

I know of other churches and organisations who suffer because of vandalism. It seems as if any organisation trying to help the community is being targeted.

With all the money that seems to be available for many other things, is it just wasted when such vandalism occurs?

Can nothing be done by our police or those who are responsible for distributing money for the good of the community to stop all this terrible waste? Or perhaps divert the money to repair the damage?

IVY ASPINALL

Leader of a Community

Group(Address supplied)

SIR - Can I through your paper appeal to Brian Hudson not to disband Keighley Community Transport.

Being an ex-driver with this group I know what a big difference it would make to this town of ours.

Groups like pensioners, social clubs, schools, sports clubs - the list is endless - would have to disband or find alternative transport, which won't be easy. Also the Safe Rider could be affected.

These yobs have already forced KCT out of their headquarters, don't let them close you down completely, they'll get caught in time.

Alan Dugdale

Keighley

SIR - Last week Ann Cryer voiced concerns over the forthcoming war with Iraq, adding that public opinion is both necessary and important in expressing opposition to this war.

Well pardon me, but some of us are not opposed to it.

Saddam Hussein al Takriti is a despot of the first order. Besides the invasion of Kuwait, he wages war on the Marsh Arabs, terrorised and slaughtered thousands of Iraqi Shi-ites and gassed countless Iraqi Kurds.

His regime not only sponsors terror groups, it also gives sanctuary to some of the world's most wanted terrorists. Only last month the Palestinian mass murderer Abu Nidal was thankfully found dead in Baghdad. Heaven alone knows how many more nasties are holed up there.

Those who oppose action against Iraq would do well to study Chamberlain at Munich. Appeasing dictators simply gives them time.

Saddam seeks confrontation, viewing himself as the new Saladin striving against Crusaders and Jews, eventually unifying the Arab and Moslem spheres.

We should not be fooled simply because he offered the imbecile MP George Galloway a chocolate, the odd Quality Street doesn't lessen Hussein's global ambitions.

As for the support, involvement and legitimacy of the UN, you must be joking. Hussein has as much regard for UN resolutions as I have for this government. And as for the statement that military action will destabilise an already precarious region - well wow!

If Hussein gets the bomb then the whole world becomes destabilised. Ann Cryer could join George W Bush in forgetting Kyoto, Ottowa, and Johannesburg, she'd be able to forget Keighley for that matter.

Besides, would destabilising a region containing some of the most oppressive regimes on Earth be a bad thing?

If Ann Cryer seeks to assist the Iraqi people she should first assist those who have the will to set them free. She says the priority must be to settle the Palestinian problem.

In her position she cannot be unaware that our wonderful wobbly allies the Saudis, the Pakistanis and the Egyptians actively fund the suicide/homicide bombers who indiscriminately slaughter Israeli civilians.

Ann Cryer has expressed her views along with those of some of her constituents to the Prime Minister, I do hope as a democrat she will express the opinions of those of us who disagree with her, or is that expecting too much?

FRANK BRAMMAH

Address supplied

SIR - Over the last year I have been a patient in Airedale Hospital many times with quite serious ailments, mainly due to old age.

People tend to moan about hospitals and the NHS but the treatment I received was so excellent, professional and considerate that I felt I should write to thank all the doctors, nurses and all the staff on ward eight for the kindness shown to me during the times I spent in this ward.

Nothing was too much trouble, always cheerful, plenty of smiles even though they were always so busy. So thank you again for the first class treatment and care I received.

HILDA SMITH

Kennedy House, Keighley

SIR - After reading the recent correspondence about refuse at the Tarn, I feel I should write about information I received during the refurbishment a number of weeks ago.

As I was walking round the Tarn I asked one of the volunteers if they were going to supply rubbish bins.

His answer was that they were aiming at a rubbish-free zone and it was hoped that visitors would take their rubbish home. He also explained that if bins were provided, people would fill them!

This would mean a refuse lorry would have to visit the Tarn, which would cost money that was not available.

On a visit to the Tarn this week, I noticed a refuse lorry passing on its way to a nearby farm. Why was it not possible to stop for a minute to pick up the rubbish?

STEWART CARDWELL

Grange Terrace, Eastburn

SIR - We had the misfortune to be travelling through Keighley about 5pm on Thursday, August 29, which took us about 40 mins for a journey that should have taken a few minutes.

We found that the traffic jam that was even blocking the roundabout opposite Netto was caused by roadworks traffic lights somewhere near the tile warehouse.

This consisted of a JCB parked on the roadside with a mini digger working on the pavement beside it. As we passed we noticed just two cars waiting to go in the opposite direction.

Now this obstruction could easily have been negotiated by traffic in both directions, much easier than negotiating the parked vehicles on the Oxenhope road at the top of Haworth, but it seems to be the law that traffic lights, not common sense, must be used wherever a hole is dug, and they may be set up without thought for traffic flow or sequence.

This is not confined to Keighley as we have found the same many times on our travels. It must be happening all over the country.

We have apparently sent 600 people to the earth summit to pontificate about greenhouse gases and the environment, wouldn't a few hundred of them be better employed looking around at home?

P SUNDERLAND

Grange Road, Kildwick

SIR - I fully agree with everything Mr E Redman wrote in his letter last week. Now I will tell you my opinion.

This country is going down the hill fast. Politicians do not know the meaning of law and order.

If they brought back the birch and the cat for violent crimes the prisons, or should I say holiday camps, would be half empty in a few short years.

In all my years I never knew of anyone going back for more. People dare not go into Keighley at night for fear of being attacked. What sort of a country has this become? Come on you politicians, let's have some action, or are you all frightened of losing votes?

D BAILEY

Keighley

(full address supplied)

SIR - I am writing on behalf of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux to encourage your readers to step forward and volunteer for their local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Both of my parents were CAB volunteers, so I know how satisfying it an be and what a huge contribution is made by the 20,000 CAB volunteers who already invest their time and energy in their local communities.

Citizens Advice Bureaux handle nearly six million new problems every year, offering practical advice and representation to people in cities, towns and villages across the country with problems ranging from debt, benefits and housing to family matters, consumer and legal affairs.

Advice Week takes place from 3-10 September and organisers have launched a volunteer recruitment line - 08451 264 264 (calls charged at local rate, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm).

The CAB doesn't just need people to train as advisers - it is also keen for people to act as trustee board members, to help with IT work, social policy work or with general administrative support.

Languages skills are also needed to help local people for whom English is an additional language. Volunteering is unlikely to affect any benefits that you receive and will give you valuable work experience.

All you need are a few hours to spare each week, an ability to work well in a team and a desire to help people in your own community. Anyone who is tempted can find out more by calling the national recruitment line to be put in touch with a CAB nearby that needs new skills. Or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/join-us

It isn't daunting, and it can be hugely rewarding - a chance for anyone to do themselves a favour and help at the heart of the community!

NICK ROSS,

BBC's Crimewatch

presenter

SIR - Your readers will know me best as Dr Tricia Summerbee from ITV's Heartbeat.

But I'll be swapping my stethoscope for Nepal, the rooftop of the world from February 15-24 2003, and I want to invite your readers to join me. To trek with us call 0845 300 1128 for a free brochure

CLARE CALBRAITH

The Children's Society