YEP Letters: October 24

The fact that some drivers have no idea of how to change a wheel on a car, which was recently reported in a survey, comes as no surprise to me!

I am of the opinion that this is largely due to the fact that so many new cars today come with no spare wheel, just an aerosol can of foam or sealant so drivers never get any experience in this procedure!

These are largely useless, unless it’s just a drawing pin or something similar in the tyre, as they can never repair any significant tyre damage caused or do anything for a damaged wheel. Also, the tyre, once contaminated inside, often can’t be conventionally mended so it’s a new tyre needed!

A few luxury models have ‘Run Flat’ tyres though, good for 50 miles at lower speed.

In over 50 years of driving I have changed wheels on many, many vehicles including the inner dual rear wheel on the third axle of an AEC 8-wheeler lorry loaded with 15 tons of coal near Dodworth Colliery! They had 10 wheel nuts, very tight, you had to cling onto the bodywork sides and jump onto the wheel brace steel bar. This is as thick as a brush handle - like a corkscrew after a few punctures!

The rear wheels on one car though, a 1957 Austin A95 Westminster acquired in 1966, was awkward to change as there was little clearance between the hub and wing. I used to let some air out then wriggle the wheel on, and re-inflate with a foot pump (bought at Halfords, I still have it; it’s had two new pipes and 1 internal leather washer

Museum must be preserved

John Appleyard, Firthcliffe Parade, Liversedge

earlier this month I paid a short visit to the ‘Scarecrow festival’ held at St Mary’s Church, Gomersal, but my main purpose was to find the grave of Mary Taylor who is buried in the grounds of the church.

Mary was a feminist, successful businesswoman and a very close friend of the novelist Charlotte Bronte, whom she first met at Roe Head School in Mirfield.

The Taylor family built the Red House in Gomersal in 1660 which the family owned until 1920.

In 1969 Spenborough Corporation acquired the house and turned it into a museum and whatever the future holds for the museum, it is imperative that the building is preserved as it represents a very important part of history in the Spen Valley.

Alongside Mary Taylor’s grave is a small memorial to her younger sister Martha who died at the young age of 23 in Brussels where she is buried.

Mary Taylor was born 26 February 1817 and members of Kirklees and Calderdale Bronte Society, along with other local groups, will be commemorating the 200th anniversary of Mary’s birth next year.

More needed to help elderly

Jaimes Lewis Moran, Seacroft, Leeds

In response to the News that care homes in Leeds are facing yet more closures: It’s horrible what’s happening lately to them and supporting services.

They get their funding repeatedly cut, their standards drop and worst still, are forced to shut (despite hefty petitions that desire otherwise)

From the looks of things it’s fair to say the future of OAP support looks grim.I’m probably not the only one who thinks this either. it’ll be the case in future generations that everyday family members will become full-time carers, not out of choice but necessity.

So say what you want about care homes and their management, but the fact remains; all governments and elected officials should’ve done more for the elderly and their housing worries (now more than ever) especially - before it’s too late.

Gary Lineker is out of touch

Judith Goodwin, Altofts

For Gary Lineker to call the British public hideously racist for questioning the validity of the so called children being admitted to the U.K. from the Calais jungle shows how out of touch he and his rich friends are.

The people of the UK are the most generous in the world but we have giving fatigue and see ourselves being taken for a ride again.

The young man from Afganistan reunited with his brother for one, who will when he has settled in, will presumably be going back there for holidays as his brother has been doing,

I agree with Jack Straw

Terry Watson, Adel, Leeds

At last someone with common sense.

Jack Straw suggested that to stop the system being abused, all so called children from Calais should be given dental checks to assess their ages .

That caused the Liberal loonies and PC brigade to declare that it was unethical and inappropriate to do so. I call it unethical and inappropriate to pretend to be a child when you are clearly a man in your 20s and should not be taking the places of young vulnerable children left in Calais. Sixteen other countries carry out these checks and so why shouldn’t we?

The asylum seekers would never have reached Calais if the French had controlled their borders, and they are to blame for the shambles they alone have created.

However, now the “children” are arriving by the coachload, we shall see if Bob Geldof, Yvette Cooper, Stan Colleymore and Nicola Sturgeon, who all said they would gladly offer a child a home are as good as their word. Lily Allen might end up with a “child” older than herself!

See if they can get a pint!

Barry Tighe, by email

HELPFUL hints for modern times. To find out if child refugees are over the age of eighteen, send them to the pub and let the landlord decide.

They are the ‘enemy within’

Terry Palmer, by email,

QUESTIONS have been raised about the ages of refugee children who were brought to the UK this week from the “Jungle” migrant camp in Calais with calls for dental checks ruled out.

We then have Lib Dem leader Tim Farron telling us it doesn’t matter whether they are children or not and we have no right to check them out. These are the same people that scuttle back under their stones when atrocities happen without a whimper. We should beware of people like Farron and his ilk and we should be very, very afraid because it’s people like him that are the real “enemy within”.

Sir Rod, spit that gum out!

Ruthven Urquhart, by email

I WAS much saddened to witness TV evidence of Rod Stewart, when he was about to receive his much deserved knighthood from Prince William, chewing gum in a most consipcious manner. Furthermore, I also observed Rod’s young son adopting the same foul practice.

Surely, on such an auspicious occasion, they could have refrained from displaying this nauseating spectacle? Perhaps they have learned the horrible habit from various football managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce?