SIR - It was with disgust and disbelief I read of the number of hoax calls made to the fire crews. It beggars belief that anybody could be so evil, sick, thick and idiotic in the present situation.

Whatever measures are taken against these people when they are caught, they should be named and shamed and no excuse made for age.

What about bringing back the stocks? Public humiliation might do more than fines or jail.

Before any do-gooders jump on the human rights bandwagon they should think that it might be their house going up in flames while hoax calls are being attended to.

Mrs Kathleen Furness, Prospect Terrace, Allerton.

SIR - Most firefighters don't class themselves as militant nor are we out to "break" any government. We do a job that can be hard, dangerous, sometimes frustrating (getting attacked and verbally abused while putting fires out!) but in the end a job that we love. That said it doesn't mean that we are happy to be underpaid.

We do a professional job and would like a wage to reflect that, but after watching television and reading stories in the media we were not sure how we stood with public support when we were on the picket line.

We needn't have worried though!

People were driving past the Fire Station pressing their horns and giving us support. We have had people bringing flasks of tea, coffee and soup, not to mention pizzas, bacon sandwiches, biscuits, bars of chocolate, sweets, pop - the list is endless. Their generosity has left us all overwhelmed. People have even stopped to give donations and just talk.

The outcome of this strike is uncertain but we know that having the support of the public and their generosity makes us all extremely grateful.

On behalf of every firefighter in Bradford, thank you!

Blue Watch, Fairweather Green Fire Station, Bradford.

SIR - So the poor impoverished firefighters want 40 per cent. What a shame they can't manage on £1,100 a month take-home pay.

They know the pay and conditions when they decide to be firepersons and if they don't like it then get out and find a job that will pay them £30,000 per annum. They will be lucky to find one.

I agree that the job has its dangers and along with the police service they may deserve an increase in pay, but 40 per cent is stupid. Do they really think they are going to get it? Take the 11 per cent and shut up moaning about how hard it is. They should try and live on what I have to, having had to retire medically with a pittance for a pension and an even smaller amount of benefits (which are taxed because of my small pension).

The sum of £1,100 a month would certainly improve my standard of living

Jan Sobczak, Hawkshead Close, Little Horton, Bradford

SIR -- An average footballer earns £30,000-£40,000 a game and the firemen get less than this in a year's work. The firemen are risking their lives because it is in their job description, but footballers just kick balls around and even if they do get injured it's not life threatening compared to a fireman.

I clearly give the thumbs-up to the strike and hope that the Labour Government learns its lesson.

Nabeel Hussain, Whites View, Manningham

SIR - If the leaders of the Fire Brigades Union have suddenly realised their members need a 40 per cent increase, they obviously have not been doing their work of representing the men properly over the last 25 years and should offer their resignations en bloc.

"Lions led by donkeys".

C Thrippleton, Mayfield Avenue, Wyke.

SIR - Councillor Andrew Smith has on this occasion my full support for his letter castigating Coun David Ward for the inept proposals to close Westwood and Cooper Lane Schools. Both those schools are on the edge of Wibsey and, like Mr Smith, my view was the projections on local numbers were way out and the quality of the education was not considered.

The parents and Governors I met were confused and angry as the Tory Group voted these plans into being. Indeed Coun Smith's deputy leader took issue with me when I spoke to these concerns Coun Smith now raises at the original meeting.

The pain is therefore self-inflicted.

It is therefore strange that the Leader of Council had no meetings with Coun Ward before the Executive met to consider the plan or since. When asked if she had confidence in Coun Ward she said yes, and then the Tory Group voted for the resolution in my name that directs the Council to learn from the mess and come up with a better, more open approach.

Had the careful concerns of my group been heard at the outset, this mess would have been avoided.

Councillor Ralph Berry (Labour, Wibsey), Leyburn Grove, Shipley.

SIR - It is about time Peel Park was provided with railings and lockable gates. While it would be expensive, in the long run it would be far cheaper than continually having to use ratepayers' money to clean up the filth and mess left when travellers and tinkers leave the park.

It is a sad reflection on the pussyfooting that is endemic now in our society that those who put nothing into the economy and take plenty out are left alone and those who are law-abiding and contribute to the economy are treated with contempt.

W J Brooks, Bolton Drive, Bradford 2

SIR - The Americans, British, European, Russian, Chinese and Arabs etc. are fools or naive to think that America wouldn't attack Iraq. Also Tony Blair is preparing the British people to accept the attack on Iraq regardless of whether House of Commons or House of Lords will approve it or not.

This is called democracy. Might is as usual right. The UN is nothing but a laughing stock.

The people mentioned above have the right to ask Bush and Tony Blair whether they have got the guts to make Israel and India to comply with the UN's resolutions passed over 50 years ago to vacate the occupied territories belonged to Palastine and Kashmir. They should have been dealt with long ago.

Finally, Tony Blair has plenty of money to kill innocent people wherever in the world he likes without any reason. However, he has no money to pay decent wages to doctors, nurses and firefighters who save people's lives and the teachers who play a vital role to educate the future of this country, ie children.

He has his priorities right, hasn't he?

Mubarik Iqbal, Oulton Terrace, Bradford 7

SIR - I refer to the recent speech by Tony Blair regarding terrorism. What on earth is this man doing?

We've had enough doom and gloom to last us to the next century without this plantpot preaching his scaremongering!

The Prime Minister is either batting for the other team or has totally lost the plot! Not only was this a pathetic weak-kneed speech but it was followed up by some people pointing out the best places in the country to plant devices which would cause the most devastation and loss of life.

This has to be a blatant act of treason!

Mind you, when a cartload of gipsies can run riot in one of our parks without fear of prosecution, the question must be asked: is there anyone in power in this country with more than one brain cell?

Trevor Williams-Berry, Bredon Avenue, Wrose.

SIR - As a village resident since 1963, I feel I must comment on the Calverley yoga controversy.

I would hazard a guess that the majority of the people attending Olivia Douglas's yoga classes have little or no interest in formal religion, be it Christian, Hindu or Hottentot.

I am sure, however, that they find yoga under Mrs Douglas's tutelage, a rewarding, agreeable method of exercising and/or relaxing mind and body in a group setting.

I think it takes a very special kind of God-bothering bigot to discern anything sinister in this innocent and wholesome activity. Olivia has lived in this village virtually all her life and is well-known and well-liked.

Parish priests, on the other hand, are in the nature of things transient beings who eventually move on, mercifully taking their quirks and their foibles with them.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.