THERE is a Labour Party leaflet doing the rounds saying that if the Tories win the election, Hyndburn will lose 30 prison officers.

Now, unless we have prison officers walking the streets keeping an eye on the thieves and rapists who have been let out of jail early, I wonder where our prison is. I've asked around and no one seems to know.

It also says that if the Tories win, we will lose 60 police officers. Ya, right -- if only we had 60 police officers in the first place, but, thanks to this government, we have 2,500 fewer police nationwide than in 1997. And if anyone can find more than 10 officers on the beat in Hyndburn at any one time, they deserve a medal.

Then, they go on about losing teachers, when we are already10,000 teachers short nationally.

It may be a better idea to tell us about the £4 million cut in Hyndburn's road maintenance budget from Labour's county council over the last few years. No wonder we have more potholes than roads.

Or about the decimation of the home help service for Hyndburn's elderly, or, maybe, about how our children are shunted from pillar to post to receive their education.

JOHN FARRER, Mallard Place, Oswaldtwistle.