SIR - The organisers of Yorkshire Day are bowing down once again to the politically-correct brigade. How dare they tell me and my fellow true Yorkshire men to forget our traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and a lovely pint of beer in exchange for a chicken biriani and a glass of lassi? Who do they think they are?

When will these people learn that I and many other ordinary folk are proud of being Tykes and are sick to death of being told we should change our culture to please the ethnic minorities?

Dare I suggest that next year to help Bradford on its way to being the Capital of Culture, the powers-that-be organise a best Yorkshire pudding competition held in a traditional Yorkshire hostelry selling proper beer.

Dene Bentley, Broad Ings Way, Shelf.

SIR - I wonder if your Letters Page readers could help us. The problem is, someone has stolen our family pet. We had a 12-month-old Golden Labrador puppy called Milly.

Unfortunately last week someone came into our garden and stole her. We miss Milly very much and obviously we would like her back.

My children are upset and I cannot imagine their thoughts about the people who did this. If anyone can please help, I can be contacted at the address below or, daytime, on 01274 744887.

Peter Hobson, Lea Ridge, Lee Lane, Cottingley.

SIR - You don't need a Bradford Council report (T&A, August 5) to tell you that house prices in the city are down.

Just look in the estate agents' windows in the surrounding areas of say Yeadon or Guiseley, where your modest semi in a reasonable area is worth a huge amount more.

As the report states, prices are even higher in Bingley and Baildon. Localities completely grid-locked, whose residents are prepared to queue for hours daily, inflicting car misery and fumes on others to wearily rest in apparently more sylvan surroundings.

Why? Could it be just in a name?

Not surprisingly, estate agents deny the price disparity but being kings of spin, they would say that wouldn't they?

Forty years ago I and my contemporaries set off on the housing ladder. Our efforts in many parts of Bradford have only brought a modest return and yet just a few miles away in a similar area but in a different city the benefits are huge.

On the face of it, investing in and having faith in Bradford has brought a poor return. It didn't used to be so.

R J Lacey, Wrose Road, Bradford.

SIR - Mr McDougall says that the English don't like foreigners (Letters, August 2). Having, for various reasons such as holidays, migration and military service, spent time abroad in many countries, I can assure him that no nation like foreigners.

From Scotland to Nova Scotia, Bangladesh to Bradford, Southampton to Sydney, it's the way things are.

We English are no worse than anybody else!

Re Lord Ouseley. Next time local youngsters become bored, how about "everyone down to Ouseley's place"?

Eric Firth, Wellington Street, Wilsden.

SIR - A Taylor complains that the Manningham rioters have been charged with the greater offence of "riot" rather than violent disorder (Letters, August 1). He then ascribes this to the "political" motivations of the DPP.

The complaint the majority of people in Bradford have about the sentencing is that no-one has yet appeared in court charged with attempted murder for trying to burn the people in the Manningham Labour Club alive.

Now THAT'S what I call politically-motivated sentencing.

Ian Sykes, Croftlands, Dewsbury.

SIR - I write as a carer with first- hand experience of Greenacres EMI unit, both residential and day care, for the past five years.

This is a specialist unit for people with varying degrees of dementia with irreplaceable staff and care facilities.

Bradford Council and Social Services care-in-the-community programme could nowhere near approach this excellent, local and much-appreciated facility.

There cannot possibly be reason or compassion in a decision to close this first-class community asset.

Mrs E Phillips, The Avenue, Clayton.

SIR - Surely now we know that British tanks and soldiers' rifles don't work in the desert, and that boots melt in the sun, Tony Blair and his stupid government are not going to send our soldiers to Iraq? I bet Saddam is splitting his sides laughing.

The Desert Rats never had this problem in my war. What's wrong with Khaki drill and suede desert boots? Also give them the best weapons the SAS have got.

N Brown, Peterborough Place, Undercliffe.