HAVING never written to a newspaper in my life, recent events in this area have incensed me to such a degree that I can no longer remain silent.

So heartily sick am I of hearing complaints against the proposed Western Bypass that it's high time the detractors moved into the 21st century.

They harp on about the devastation of local countryside yet have no real concept of what real devastation is.

All we in Morecambe and Heysham are asking for is a bypass to ease congestion, speed up travelling times and bring new employment to the area, alleviating the appalling unemployment in Morecambe.

I have recently returned from a brief visit to Kent. Now, there is countryside devastation on a scale people in this area cannot comprehend. The Garden of England has been decimated in the name of progress all because of the Channel Tunnel. When all the work is finished I dare say it will be easier on the eye than at present. Kent is full of towns and villages yet they qualify for new roads and they haven't got anything like the congestion we experience here everyday.

Morecambe and Heysham needs the bypass, it needs new industry and employment. There is so much potential being wasted. It is high time Morecambe made more noise about their town because if we don't kick up a fuss it will become a ghost town.

So much hype has been made of the Eric Morecambe statue and it is nice but it's not enough! The empty shops and market stall mentality of the other shops is a disgrace. Situated as the gateway to the Lake District, it could be so beautiful, if only someone had the vision and got a grip on the situation.

Please feel free to print my letter, maybe it will provoke a Morecambe task force to fight for our town!

Mrs Gill Read

Morecambe