SIR - I am experiencing some difficulty in reconciling my thoughts alongside those who after years of deliberation, advocate an even smaller attendance capacity at Odsal Stadium. Little wonder Bradford is under-rated!

Does it not cross the minds of those small-minded people who would reduce the much-vaunted stadium to a virtual recreation ground, that we have at Odsal the wherewithal to really put Bradford on the map?

Are they not looking to the future when once again we could be in command of the greatest sporting facility in Britain?

Have these petty subordinates of the local vote forgotten the potential illustrated by the 100,000 attendance when the stadium was a virtual mud heap?

With sport now big business, shouldn't we be thinking of a well-planned venue capable of choice for European and world football internationals? Shouldn't we be building edifices for world indoor tennis, world snooker, horse jumping and for world tiddlywinks?

Crazy? Yes! But if sport is all that Britain can now offer, isn't it time for Bradford to take advantage?

S P Yeadon, Carr Bottom Road, Bradford 5.

SIR - Interesting to see that the saga of Odsal Stadium rumbles on. However, the really interesting comment in the T&A article of September 14 concerns the fact that if Bradford Bulls remain at Odsal for next season, the cost to Council Tax payers will be in six figures. This suggests to me that during the previous 14 years the cost has been much the same!

On August 11 and 16, I had letters published in the T&A asking for an answer as to the full cost of Odsal since the Council took over the rugby club's lease back in 1986. Will someone from the Council now have the common decency to provide an answer, not just to myself but to all taxpayers who, without being given any choice, have been funding the Odsal operation for the past 14 years?

I have written to Ian Stewart, the Council Chief Executive, on this matter and while I feel sure he will endeavour to obtain honest answers from those involved, I have the strong feeling he will also encounter the wall of silence and secrecy that surrounds the operation at Odsal Stadium.

Barry Wood, Knights Fold, Bradford 7

SIR - Believe me, what your correspondent Richard Jowett really needs (T&A, web version) is less government, not more.

The Belgians, who are experts at this sort of thing, have layers of administration stretching up from the commune to the central government.

It all has to be paid for: the commune and its councillors, the local mayor, the regional parliament and its MPs and governors, the national parliament and its MPs, etc, etc., etc., not to mention the army of bureaucrats that go along with it.

Does the end result lead to better government? Does the expense of this top-heavy bureaucracy benefit the population? Not a bit of it. Belgium is one of the most highly-taxed nations in Europe and the government goes round in circles. Little or nothing happens.

But if you want to buy a house then you will have to find an extra 25per cent in VAT to pay for it. That's the price of Mr Jowett's idea of democracy. High taxation and gridlock in the talking shops.

Stuart Baker, Place St Michel, Etalle-Chantemelle, Belgium

SIR - I go along with Peter A Rushforth's feeling that we should pull out of Europe altogether (Letters, September 11). I also like the idea of holding the coats of the warring factions and staying on the sidelines as Switzerland has done through two world wars.

Wars achieve nothing. The only winners are those who make and sell armaments and bring misery to innocent people.

We British should be proud of our heritage.

Nora Pemberton, Albert Avenue, Shipley.

SIR - I am in the process of doing some research into my late mother's family history, and the only relatives on her side are two cousins, one of whom I have had no contact with for almost 30 years, and the other about ten years.

I have moved around the country a lot over the past 30 years, but am now settled in Norfolk.

The cousin who lived in Bradford was Wyn Brett, and I think she lived in Wilsden many years ago. She is the daughter of the late Alan Gray, sister of Michael, and has a daughter Tracy.

I would like to hear from either her or her brother Michael Alan Gray, to catch up and also to see if they can help with the research, perhaps with old documents, memories and so on.

Thanking you in anticipation of your help.

Mrs Edwina M Kellock, 22 Lynn Road, Dersingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE31 6JZ.