I UNDERSTAND that both Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt and her deputy Norman Warner have both refused to attend the official opening of the new Darwen Health Centre.

Our MP Janet Anderson was shocked and angry that it took a Labour minister three months to reply but it just shows you what the Government think about our health service that number one and number two will not come to open our state-of-the-art health centre.

I think that it's a slap in the face for all the good people of Darwen.

I would like to see our MP and the chairman of the PCT and the child who won the art contest for the new health centre to be the ones to open it. This will come back to haunt the Government at election time.

Let's get on with the official opening and let's hope the parking crisis will be sorted out.

A D GORDON (Mr), Brighton Terrace, Darwen.