Letters to the Editor

Sir - A few days ago a very special person passed away. To many her name will mean little, but to those who knew Mary Bagguley there will be a great sadness at her passing.

It is some 15 years ago, through the Horton Support Group, that she came to help and support Manorlands Hospice.

That she helped raised many, many tens of thousands of pounds is but a part of her magnificent support of our Sue Ryder Home.

Mary just gave and gave again of her time and efforts in helping in everyway. Stalls, tombolas, flag days, collecting boxes ... the list is endless, as was her love and friendship of all around her.

She could be a 'stickler' too, for she wanted it done right. Her birthday always fell around garden party time, and did I know it - my defence was to blame her mum and dad!

To David and all of Mary's family and friends goes our deepest sympathy. You have lost a treasure.

A small portrait sits on the fireplace at their homes with the title 'Mary'. The wording reads: "The Hebrew name for a Lady". I need write no more.

David A Wood, Stanningley Grove, Heckmondwike.

What a nerve!

SIR - This government has got a nerve, issuing a document telling us what to do in case of terrorist attack.

They are the very people who have put us in danger. Since their illegal war on Iraq they have caused the biggest recruitment of terrorists.

By their bungled immigration and asylum policy they have no idea how many terrorists may have been let into the country.

The top policemen say we are too mollycoddled to cope with an Al-Qaeda strike. As a Second World Ward veteran, I say it is the police who are mollycoddled. I don't think they like leaving their little fortresses.

Officials started this situation so let them deal with it.

N Brown, Peterborough Place, Undercliffe.

Too negative

Sir - I am writing to complain about the plethora of negative news stories relating to the youth of Bradford.

At a time when Bradford is seeking to rehabilitate itself through cultural status, visionary architecture and civic responsibility, I find it galling to see such negativity applied to our young people.

This image is giving rise to a strain of 'glamorous hooligans' who prosper and delight in subverting the daily lives of honest folk with vulgarity, destruction of property and lawlessness.

Surely the T&A, as the voice of the metropolitan area, should be publishing the achievements and successes of our youngsters to correct this woeful impression and deny these hooligans the oxygen of free publicity.

Dr F Jack, Follifoot, Harrogate.

l EDITOR'S NOTE: It's only by drawing attention to such problems that action to prevent them can be instigated. It's our job to present an accurate picture and it would be entirely wrong to censor bad news. Neither do we believe that people commit crimes for the publicity. We do report very many good news stories about local youngsters - more good than bad, in fact - it's just that people tend to remember the bad ones.

So generous

Sir - Thank you to all your readers for giving so generously to the Sudan Emergency Appeal.

The appeal, which I launched on the BBC just eight days ago on behalf of the UK's biggest charities, has already raised a mammoth £9 million.

This money will help aid agencies working in the region to help hundreds of thousands of desperate men, women and children forced to flee their homes because of the violence in Darfur, Sudan.

If you donated £5, you have bought a family shelter from the sun and the rain.If you gave £10, you have bought a water container and purification tablets clean water for a family. If you donated £44, you have fed a family of five for two months.

Your readers have already made a huge difference.Yet there is much more to do and every donation allows the aid agencies to do that little bit more.

Donations are still being accepted: through the website at www.dec.org.uk, by ringing 0870 60 60 900 or at any high street bank or post office.

Natasha Kaplinsky, BBC Breakfast, On behalf of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), Warren Mews, London.