IT'S disgraceful that money is being spent in the wrong direction in Blackburn - what with statues, metal trees and those grotesque 'ornaments' near Darwen Street Bridge.

For two years, we have applied for security cameras in Darwen and been turned down.

The vandalism around Darwen town centre and elsewhere is really bad, with market windows being smashed repeatedly and telephone and bus shelters being smashed. It's costing the taxpayers a lot of money.

I and many more are disgusted that the breast cancer nurses are dispensed with for the sake of £26,000.

Blackburn Infirmary and Queen's Park Hospital are really short of nurses and yet money is spent on stupid ornaments.

Let's hope Tony Blair re-directs the lottery money for nurses, hospitals and schools.

It is sickening to read that Blackburn Rugby Club have been awarded £353,000 for refurbishment and Clitheroe Tennis, Cricket and Bowling Club £90,000 and of all the benefits paid to opera and the arts when people are trying to raise money for the SuperScan appeal.

As a former cancer patient and nurse, I feel, and so do many more people, that the priorities are all wrong.

DOREEN SMITH (Mrs), Snape Street, Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.