Litter louts have ruined Lowbiggin.

I could not agree more with the letter by AN, of Newcastle.

Lowbiggin was such a lovely estate to live on, lots of trees, shrubs and grassed areas but now it's like living on a rubbish tip.

The black path which runs down the estate is strewn with lager cans, wine bottles, most of which are broken and all the other visual rubbish. I had to laugh to myself when I read last year that the children from Simonside School had received a keep your school tidy award.

Once they are out through the school gates all that is forgotten about. Have you noticed the sweet wrappers and plastic pop bottles just outside the gate.

We also have a problem with kids racing around the pedestrian areas on motor bikes. Try ringing the police, they just don't want to know.

It's such a shame to see Lowbiggin and most areas in Newcastle going downhill like this.

LOWBIGGIN RESIDENT.

A cockeyed message

IN RELATION to the Civil Service it seems the Government's right hand does not know what the left is doing.

On one hand we have plans to make substantial reductions.

This will lead to many young and middle aged people facing having to live on benefits.

At the same time those approaching 60 are being told they must stay on to 65 before they can qualify for a pension. There's something cockeyed somewhere!

RK MAINS, Manor House Road, Newcastle.

Record old dialects now

OVER the past few weeks I have been watching The Way We Were on TV, I find it interesting, but with very little genuine Geordie dialect.

It is claimed within time, dialects will disappear, language, like fashion changes with each generation, new words are introduced, whilst others are omitted.

Even in the region, the difference in accents along the Tyne from the coast to the Tyne Valley was noticeable and was more pronounced just a few miles into Northumberland.

Much of this dialect was pitmatic, when King Coal ruled our lives.

With the demise of coal, shipbuilding, steel and our other heavy industries, it will be sad to lose many of our regional words which are part of our hard but glorious past.

Artefacts and photographs are preserved but we need tapes of the voices of people who have grown up and still live in these old industrial areas. Not actors or actresses and surely museums could use them to give a more authentic view.

S WARD, West Denton, Newcastle.

Mr Blair can go on and on

TONY Blair who has now been Prime Minister for nearly eight years is now the longest serving Labour Prime Minister in history.

Margaret Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister of the 20th Century when she served 11 years.

Mr Blair can beat that record if he completes a third term in 10 Downing Street, there is no reason why he should not do this.

The longest serving Prime Minister in British history was Sir Robert Walpole, back in the 18th Century who served 21 years. That is a record Tony Blair should emulate, with his political skill and power of leadership, he is quite capable of doing it.

There are many who will scoff at such an idea, the fact of the matter is, there is no-one with the capability to take over from Mr Blair.

The message has to be, go for the record Tony, you're just the man who can do it.

NICHOL WILSON, College Road, Hebburn.