SIR - I take it from his recent letter (T&A, October 3) that Barry Wood is not a Bradford Bulls supporter.

Financial issues aside, does he not realise in the past five years the Bulls have done a tremendous amount to raise the profile of this city for all the right reasons?

I would suggest that Mr Wood telephones the community development department at Odsal for some facts and figures on the work the Bulls are carrying out in the community.

In fact he should go up to Odsal and see the national awards they have won, then he may realise they are not just a rugby club but an integral part of the community.

Bradford Bulls have led the way in this field (no pun intended) and other rugby clubs throughout the Super League are trying to emulate the example set by them.

S D & S C Fawcett (Bulls supporters and tax-payers), Sherwell Grove, Allerton.

SIR - What a bitter and miserable letter from Barry Wood (T&A Letters, October 3).Can he not see the importance of sport in our city? Does he not know that our youngsters need recreation as a fundamental part of their education?

People with the attitude of Barry Wood should take a look at towns such as Huddersfield and Halifax and see the developments they have made to house their Super League teams, while the supreme efforts of the Bulls in schools and the community have gone unrewarded.

How dare he suggest it would be better to use Odsal as a tip, with all the social and health problems it would mean to local residents?

The Bulls command 14,000 to 25,000 people at home matches in the season and a large number are families with children who just love to leave their work and school behind and enjoy a game. May I suggest Barry Wood goes along to the Bulls and join them. He might enjoy it too!

And before he asks, I have paid my taxes for nearly 50 years.

H. Haigh, Aireworth Road, Keighley

SIR - I write on behalf of the users of Frizinghall Community Association and myself. It was heart-rending to watch a father pleading with the Israeli soldiers to stop shooting and to see his small child huddled up behind him.

Words cannot describe the hurt and anger after witnessing the atrocity of an innocent, helpless child being gunned down.

Millions of viewers must have witnessed this barbaric act of violence, yet I cannot see a public outcry of any significance. Is there no humanity left in people? Whey have people not spoken out in anger and disgust? President Clinton felt "saddened" at this. Is that all? How many other nations have publicly spoken out about this?

In a civilised society there is such an outcry if a pet dog or cat is mistreated. The authorities use the full might of the law to bring that person to justice and the media make a mountain out of the story.

The "civilised world" should condemn this atrocity and the soldiers should be brought to justice for brutally murdering a helpless child.

M Afzal, co-ordinator, Frizinghall Community Centre, Midland Road, Frizinghall.

SIR - I keep reading in your newspaper about apparent motiveless or unprovoked attacks by a gang of Asian youths/men.

It seems Bradford's police force is turning a blind eye to Asian-on-white racially-motivated violence. This unfortunately will surprise no-one after two years of unpunished Bonfire Night rioting by Asians.

I look forward to the day when the police have the courage to condemn these obvious racist attacks.

B Wainwright, Beechwood Drive, Wibsey.

SIR - What a wheeze! Such brilliance! I must join the Tory Party. Maybe some of their intellectual ability will rub off on me.

Senor Portillo, (PM in waiting?), thinks the health service can be improved by expanding the private sector. No doubt it will recruit more private doctors and nurses from Spain or Timbuktu?

I don't think so! It will recruit from the NHS. And private staff treat fewer patients per doctor so the private sector will really be a drain on the NHS.

Queues will lengthen, more people will go private which will lead to more doctors being recruited from the NHS which will mean longer queues which will mean more people going private which will mean...

Pretty soon we will have a two-tier or even wholly-privatised Health Service. Such brilliance!

Thank goodness there is an alternative to voting for Labour or Portillo and his ilk! And no, that doesn't mean not voting at all.

Even under our essentially undemocratic voting system, one CAN vote for a change!

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon, Shipley.

SIR - Re Jack Mawson's letter "Heroes for whom we did nothing" (September 29).

There is a lot more being done for ex-Service men and women who are disfigured or blinded than stated in his letter. All walks of the Services can apply to the Royal British Legion whether or not they are members. Also most Services' association - RAF, Navy, Royal Marines etc - have rehabilitaiton hospitals and so on. All you need to do is to apply.

L. Evans (chairman, Queensbury RBL), Norcroft, Ambler Thorn, Queensbury.

SIR - With reference to the new Human Rights law. Who are the educated people who compiled it?

The law of the land states that anyone marrying two or more people is committing bigamy, which is a punishable offence.

Yet the new law will allow followers of a religious sect to practice polygamy, thus discriminating against anyone who is not of the religion but believes in polygamy.

It also discriminates against other religions' monogamy followers who are being made to help pay for the upkeep of the offspring of these marriages.

Finally, does the polygamous practice involve both men and women, or is this just a perk for the men, thus being sexist discrimination against women?

J Westman, Ranelagh Avenue, Ravenscliffe.

SIR - Earlier this year I took some friends from Kent to Shipley Glen and had to endure the embarrassment of a litter-strewn footpath running alongside the tramway. I wrote to the T&A then and I'm at it again now.

This time round our friends were from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and I noticed the ladies' loos on the Glen were shut. I know maintaining public loos is a nuisance, but have times changed that much?

A previous generation benefited from the comfort of a loo once they'd walked the breadth of the Glen. Why does Bradford Council assume today's trippers are less needy?

Tessa Hankinson, Cliffe Villas, New Brighton, Bingley.

SIR - Walking through Bradford at night, particularly when it is gloomy (which is pretty often), the large white mass of Provincial House is the strongest reminder that we have been in the 20th century. I will be extremely saddened if it is demolished.

Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.