I AM not being drawn into a slanging match with the defenders of horse-drawn landaus on Blackpool Prom.

But before I pass on to itemise the important issues of this subject, I want to say that I find it very cowardly of the person who referred to Mrs J Harwood by name four times in her letter (Citizen Jan 29) while he/she hid his/her identity behind 'Details supplied'.

What I do want to state is that the writers in favour of landaus seem to be deliberate ignoring the main issue -- that is to move the horses away from the terribly congested traffic -- clogged part of the Prom on which they now have to work.

This is the point which we have been making time after time. We do not want the horse to be shut up in stables for 24 hours day, as one writer claims -- that is a ludicrous statement. We have no worries about horses working if they are in congenial, safe surroundings and with good working conditions.

The defenders of landaus appear also to be muddled in their thinking and score own goals. For example, a writer says "London has been all right for the Queen's carriage horses and the police horses. No-one's harassing them!" I don't see what logic there is in that comparison! She also wrote "Times have changed but the Prom has been alright for landaus for the past 100 years." Two opposing thoughts there!

Another thing sticks in my mind -- Durham City is cited as introducing landaus. Well, I was brought up in that area and I cannot think of any suitable part of that city for landau driving. I would like to know where they are.

The letter from 'unknown' who met a six-year-old cob contained two disturbing statements. This cob had been one of our Blackpool landau horses and had been sold at an auction in Kirkcudbright! The other statement which would not have been included if 'Unknown' had been thinking more clearly was that "the only reason for the cob's sale was that it wouldn't stop at red traffic lights on the Prom?" After that statement can anybody wonder why we are campaigning for the horses to be moved to their own area for their own safety and traffic safety.

In finishing, I would like to ask the 'defenders" to have the courage to use their names and addresses as we do, and not to call us in abusive terms such as 'bigots, offensive do-gooders' and 'nosey bigots'.

Edith Grainge, Sevenoaks Drive, Thornton Cleveleys