SIR - My grandmother is a frequent visitor to Broadstones, Holme Wood, on both a day-visit and residential basis. She is 89 and can on occasion be quite forgetful, which means she has suffered various mishaps at home. My mother (herself a pensioner) looks after her the majority of the time but has some help from carers.

When in Broadstones my gran is the lively, social, articulate woman I know and love rather than the fragile lady who can't always remember my son's name. My mother also thrives during these spells. Although she loves my gran dearly and would do anything for her, lately this seems to have been to the detriment of her own health and Broadstones provides a welcome respite.

When somebody raised the question (at the meeting in St Christopher's Church in Holme Wood, in mid-September) of where will the pensioners from the homes to be closed be accommodated, the answer was that there are other homes in the district that aren't full. Surely there is something wrong when the popular, oversubscribed homes are being closed to fill the emptier ones?

Mrs Tracy Connel, Keighley Road, Steeton

SIR - Thornton village may no longer have a bank, swimming pool, park, tennis court or public loo but, thanks to our local planning officers it does have a "by-pass".

This takes in Back Lane, Sapgate Lane, Bronte Old Road and Thornton Old Road, where it joins the trunk road which runs through Thornton Village. At peak times, 80 vehicles in ten minutes have been counted using these lanes. This does not include lorries, skip wagons and delivery trucks.

Part of this "by-pass" borders on a signposted public footpath and right of way to encourage walkers and cyclists to enjoy the countryside around our village. There are no speed restrictions on much of this "by-pass" to the motorists (who of course have absolute right of way and must get to their destinations as fast as possible).

Good luck to the local residents on foot, walkers and cyclists, any young mum with a pram or push chair and little ones to take to school. Oh I forgot, we don't have a primary school either now.

Mrs Elaine West, Sapgate Lane, Thornton.

SIR - The construction known affectionately as "Tin Bridge", the footbridge over the canal between the Mornington Road and Park Road bridges in Bingley, is to be another piece of local heritage to suffer at the hands of Bradford planning department to become "concrete bridge".

When will these bureaucrats begin to listen and perhaps spend time and money on more fundamental changes that would benefit the residents of Bingley - although by this I do not mean converting the centre of Bingley into a car park, as has been suggested.

Graham Barker, Norman Street, Bingley

SIR - I endorse Mike Priestley's feelings (North of Watford, October 5) in respect of the Bradford driving instructor who seeks assistance for his Asian pupils who have difficulty understanding English.

Can one comprehend such a driver being allowed out on our congested, dangerous roads? How will he/she communicate in the event of an accident?

One day last year I was awaiting the last Bradford National Express from Sheffield Bus Station. As it arrived an elderly Asian man became most distraught. He was confused that the Bradford bus he was awaiting had a destination sign beyond his city. He showed me his ticket and I tried to reassure him that this was the bus he required, but he clearly didn't understand me and he strode away.

Blunkett is only stating the patently obvious about the virtues of immigrants learning English.

As for Ms Iqbal's regular sound bites in this column in defence of all things Muslim - it merely reflects my view that religious paranoia is the greatest threat to world stability. In fact religious divisions are the catalyst for most of the spilt blood in the world.

Give me a peace-loving atheist who will debate in a considered way anytime.

B A Houseman, Coach Road, Baildon.

SIR - It is sad to see how a normally decent and humane commentator like Mike Priestley seems to lose the plot when he engages with issues of asylum and immigration (North of Watford, October 12).

The fact is that more people are emigrating from Britain than are coming in, and we have a legal - as well as a humanitarian - duty to admit asylum seekers, especially when many of them are victims from colonialist oppression, the relics of which are the chief reasons why people want to leave hearth and home and move to the places of privilege which have robbed them for so long, and continue to do so.

Another fact is that Britain would not be the rich, exciting, cosmopolitan culture which it is today if it were not for the wave of immigrants we have received, from the Celtic "beaker people" who came over in pre-Roman times to my Asian neighbours in Manningham who make it such a wonderful place to live.

And if it had not been for asylum seekers like Einstein leaving Europe for safety abroad, the Nazis would have been able to use their skills to win World War II.

Karl Dallas, Church Green, Bradford 8

SIR - In the comfort, peace and tranquillity of my home, I sit watching and listening to the news of turmoil and confusion in the world today.

Osama Bin Laden continues to elude capture and his "disciples" continue to cause trouble and murder everywhere on the planet, with the UN apparently at a loss.

In Iraq, Saddam plays diplomatic mind games with the UN, while the ordinary population of his country suffer and starve and die under extreme famine and violence.

In Nigeria, the young woman found guilty of having sexual intercourse outside marriage is sentenced to be buried up to her chest and then stoned to death by Islamic fanatics. The UN does not seem interested in this violent act against basic human rights.

But beware if you are a parent of a naughty child in Bradford! Do not lay a finger on that child as punishment. The UN rules that this must stop, as this is a violation of the rights of that child.

I bet the children of Afghanistan, Iraq and the baby of the woman in Nigeria wished they lived in Bradford.

John A Hargreaves, Horton Bank Top, Breadford 6.

SIR - If Mr David Ramsden (Letters, October 10) had read my letter properly, it did not accuse Saddam Hussein of bombing the US. It said that we didn't want to wait until he did.

If Mr.Ramsden has knowledge that Saddam is not in possession of weapons of mass destruction, please have him share this information with the British and American Government immediately.

The US Government has satellite photos which it believes show construction of plants which have

the ability to build weapons of mass destruction. America has to stand together with our allies.

Saddam Hussein has shown in the past that he will use chemical warfare on his own people. This will not prevent him from using this against the world. He has not let the inspectors in for the past 12 years. Who knows what he has amassed.

Diane Duguid, E. 4th St, Deer Park, New York

SIR - You report (October 4) that the Council is conducting a "massive" clean-up in Silsden involving the cleaning of not one, not two, not three but all 1,250 gullies in the town.

Well, Silsden must have been in one hell of a state to justify such an operation. Next time it rains, that should certainly be the place to be.

Where is the gully-cleaning A-Team heading next and what do we have to do to get on the list?

I wonder if I can put in a plea for Frizinghall without suggesting that Frizinghall is in anything like as bad a way as Silsden obviously was?

Jim Flood, Redburn Drive, Shipley