MAY I correct some inaccuracies in Graham Cannon's comments (Letters, January 18).

Two bridges were re-built in Barley -- Black Moss and Narrowgates -- between January and July 2000, neither having ever had weight restrictions on them.

The one to which Mr Cannon refers, in the centre of the village, was built in 1924-25 by Nelson Corporation Waterworks for access to their reservoirs and treatment works in Barley.

The Parish Council first reported holes appearing in the steelwork of this bridge about 10 years ago, as well as cracks in the walls. The county council proposed a three-ton limit on both bridges in 1998, which would have been devastating for the village and particularly for the small community at Narrowgates.

If this weight restriction had been implemented, it would have meant all heavy vehicles would have had to come in via Newchurch and down the steep hill into Barley. Not a very safe proposal.

The village does have large vehicles delivering to houses, farms and businesses. Large vehicles regularly pass through to the waterworks, school buses and tour coaches come daily, especially in summer.

These bridges would have had to be re-built sooner or later whether the money came from Europe or not. Although none of us likes paying our council tax, at least the people of Barley now have two safe bridges over which to come and go.

The work on these bridges never was a political matter and Mr Cannon and his party should make sure of their facts before using them for political propaganda!

ADAM METCALFE, The Bullion, Barley, Burnley.