IN reply to the letter from Victor about the parking at the Towers.
Well, I live at the Towers and everybody's tried to have the parking problem solved through gentoo but as you see no joy.
Beside picking the car up and taking it indoors with us what are we to do?
Concerning mobility scooters, I have never heard one complaint about the cars.
As for the Doxford Park parking comment, that was stupid. I wish I could go home and park. We have this problem 24/7, 365 days and nights a year.
As for your photograph, if you had pointed the camera 10ft to the right you would have got a lovely picture of daffodils.
There are a lot more things to moan about than this and as for your signature, it's more than appropriate, so I'll say goodnight, Mr Meldrew, and I really hope you get out a bit more.
If you are at a loose end there is lots of voluntary work to entertain you or even feed the ducks.
H Bucket

Wake up Wearside
IN the national press recently, there have been many articles detailing the EU's proposed regionisation plan. (Remember the full name of the EU is the European Union of Regions!)
These regions, first proposed by the Nazis in the Second World War (along with a common currency), bear no relation whatsoever to local language, accent or dialect, tradition, culture or costume.
Are we going to let Germany and France win without a fight? Instead of resistance, our elected (and some unelected) leaders are handing our nation over to a foreign power, piece by piece, in the hope that we won't notice.
There is word for this – treason.
Come on, Sunderland, wake up. Don't let our fair nation fall totally into foreign hands. Join the Better Off Out pressure group or support the UK Independence Party.
Pauline Featonby Warren PPC,
UK Independence Party
Milburn Street
Millfield
Sunderland.

Durham misses out
HOW many other Durham City residents, of the slightly older generation who are entitled to take advantage of the County Durham Travel Scheme, are frustrated by the apparent inability to travel by train from Durham station to Newcastle or, indeed, elsewhere in the area at the concessionary half price rate.
When I received my revised bus pass recently a most informative leaflet was enclosed setting out the benefits which pass-holders could enjoy.
However, the absence of Durham railway station as a travel point must surely be a source of frustration for some, if not many,Durham residents.
Inquiries have revealed that this anomalous situation has existed and evolved over time because the service is only available to trains and stations which only provide a local train service.
So because Durham is a mainline station it is excluded from the scheme.
How ridiculous that Durham residents wishing to use the service at the discounted price are unable to do so, particularly in this age when we are all encouraged to be eco-friendly.
May I suggest that this matter is one that the recently-elected councillors to Durham County Unitary Authority should address, to remove what is clearly a ridiculous situation.
I understand that the potential cost is not likely to be prohibitive and I, therefore, call upon all of the councillors serving Durham to unite to have the position rectified as a matter of urgency.
Peter Thompson

The haunted house
YA knar misses! This is the real live Little Billy Craggs tarkin, like.
Once ah woz deed, but now ahm alive and scribbling, not dribbling, yet.
Why man misses! When ya get to my age, 35 plus VAT, you've gorra plan the journey accordin to the waata holes (netties) along the route cos ya might turn out to be a better dribbler than shark.
So misses! One meets a blast from the past, Ralphy Baxter, whee woz mayor of Sunderland an my Scout Master at Vaux Own Scouts.
Misses, Ralphy, together with Bill Mowbray, brought adventure to little lads like me at Lambton Street Boys' Club. There were at least 50 Scouts in Vaux Own with John, Shipley, Jeff Potts, Derek Manning and my cousins, John and Alan Metcalf.
The ghosts of Vaux are alive and kicking.
Little Billy Craggs

Charity thefts
RECENTLY, three men in a Mercedes van came along our street in South Hylton and took away charity bags left out for the British Heart Foundation.
Half an hour later the genuine collector came round only to find empty doorsteps.
Please inform the despicable lowlife scum in the Mercedes van that I took your registratration and passed it on.
How can anybody stoop so low as to steal charity bags. This is a terrible crime. The sooner this type of person is caught and brought to justice the better.
I've got your number,
South Hylton