IN September the Lambton Memorial Group, aided by a grant from Sunderland SIB Funding, will be working on an art project with local primary schools in the Houghton, Fence Houses and Shiney Row area to be placed in the country park being created on the former Lambton Colliery and cokeworks site.

To enhance this project, I would be grateful if any ex-miners and their families who worked and lived near the Lambton Colliery and cokeworks could give me any information, photographs or memorabilia or discuss with me about their life in the area up until the colliery closed. We intend to produce a booklet charting the history of the pit and to honour the many men who worked there.

I feel sure that many of the men or their families will be able to recall where they worked in the mine or cokeworks, the conditions they encountered, plus any humorous anecdotes about characters in the area. Sadly, the Lambton area has changed but it would be helpful if anyone can recall the olden days.

It is often quite amazing how much history can be recalled when receiving snippets of information.

I do hope that I can generate some interest, as many ex-miners are very proud of their involvement with the pits and their tremendous contribution to the economy of the area and country.
Please do not hesitate to contact George Rowe or I on either 0191 5842351 or 0191 3858633.
Pat Simmons (Secretary),
Ivy Terrace,
Shiney Row

Pension slashed
IN reply to Mr Chris Mullin's article on Equitable Life Pensions, I was extremely disappointed to read the article in the Echo about the Ann Abraham report on Equitable Life.

I retired in 1997 aged 64 and I contributed for 20 years to secure a pension for my retirement and invested this in an annuity with Equitable Life. Within two years, my pension was reduced every year thereafter, until I now receive just 34 per cent of my original pension. If you build in a minimum cost of living index of just two per cent a year, my pension has been reduced by over 50 per cent, causing real hardship.

I have always supported the Labour party and object to your intemperate suggestion that the majority of policyholders support the Conservative party. This is not about politics. It is about pensioners losing over half their pension income due to lack of any legal control within the pension industry.

Should the taxpayer pay up? The Government taxed the pension companies over £5billion a year by withdrawing the tax concession investment dividends.

I suggest that you, as part of the Government, should have in place tough legislation that secures everyone who pays into a pension scheme, security, and does not have to fight for justice.

Equitable Life spent £55million of our funds in litigation. No law was in place that could bring a successful prosecution against any of the parties involved.

Chris, you are someone I have always admired in the Labour movement for supporting working people and their causes. I hope you will fully read the Ann Abraham report and all the other reports into the Equitable debacle, and give support for all the elderly pensioners involved.
Oswald Young,
Saunton Court,
Newbottle

Disgusting fly-tippers
ON behalf of fellow cyclists and walkers I would like to thank Easington District Council Countryside Rangers and Mark Frain with the aid of volunteers in particular, for the magnificent clean-up of the pathway and cycle route between Shotton's two bridges on the old railway line.

This lovely route was spoilt by fly-tippers who showed no respect for the beauty of the area or for the people who used the pathway.

Fly-tipping like this is especially disgusting when the council provides a perfectly good free service for removing rubbish.

So come on folks, respect the area and our local beauty spots and show respect for cyclists and walkers.
Maria Ann Rafferty,
Hawes Road,
Peterlee

Useless turbines
ABOUT four years ago we were exporting oil and gas from the north sea. In about four years from now we will be paying many billions to foreign oil and gas companies for the imports. Meanwhile, the Government outlines plans to waste money, building useless wind turbines, each one a 300ft, embarrassing, ineffective edifice of futility, at a cost of at least £20billion.

The government did not tell the public that conventional power stations have to be permanently switched onto stand-by, "hot spin", because of the unreliability of the wind. Wind turbines only produce one third of their supposed output!

Which overgrown green Brussels sprout conned the politicians into thinking that wind turbines are viable? India and China are building conventional power stations faster than politicians can build castles in the air. If we are ever to be free of grasping, rapacious, foreign suppliers and ensure a constant reliable energy source, we need power stations now. Without conventional power stations we have a problem – and the answer is not blowing in the wind.
DB Glover,
Seaham