The aircraft flew so low that it was easy to read the registration and, using this information, we traced it to Sealand Aerial Photography, which undertakes "photographic surveys of development land" including "traffic monitoring, route planning etc".

Traffic monitoring seems unlikely on a quiet Saturday morning . . .
Residents of Parklands have been extremely concerned since the new houses off Talavera Way were described as "Parklands".

Our Parklands is an island community with only two roads in and out, neither of which emerge anywhere near Talavera Way.

We have yet to hear a persuasive argument to explain why anyone would give a new estate the same name as an established community not 500 yards away, unless they intend to amalgamate the two.

Joining these two areas together would create a "rat run" through to Moulton Park which would destroy our community, not to mention the significantly increased risk to the 2,000-plus children who attend the schools on our estate.

Another distinct possibility is that Northamptonshire County Council is pouring good (public) money after bad, chasing its futile dream to sell off land that has been protected by the Secretary of State.

This would be typical of the increasingly desperate tactics we have come expect from our elected representatives.

Parklands Residents' Association would urge your readers to keep their eyes open and report any unusual activities.
Simon Hegarty,
Vice-Chair, Parklands Residents' Association, Northampton.

'Perfect' but unhealthy dogs
I stand in our lounge looking at the wall, where a large framed photograph hangs of our much loved dog Marcus, a Doberman-cross-border collie, who we had as a nine-week-old puppy and lost to leukaemia aged 15 years.

Below his picture hangs a framed certificate bearing the citation "Most Like Owner, Class of 2002 – First Place", an event he and I entered at an RSPCA dog show.

Then I sit down and ponder on the programme I watched on August 19 entitled Pedigree Dogs Exposed (BBC1) and I think of all the heartache caused by caring people who pay large amounts of money for a particular breed of pedigree puppy, their simple desire to give it a loving home as a family pet, only to lose it to some awful disease caused by continual inbreeding to acquire the correct "look" as laid down by Kennel Club rules and regulations.

Some breeders and owners came across as mostly interested in the dogs as status symbols and their ability to win cups and prizes, thus bringing in much financial gain, especially when their dogs were mated to produce more puppies.

Never mind that some of those puppies might inherit or suffer dreadful diseases and abnormalities to their anatomy.

Puppy farms are abhorred by all, but are these Kennel Club breeders and some owners any different?

Puppies born without the correct form are callously euthanised, even though they may well be healthier because they are not so "perfect".

Eugenics was mentioned in the programme, with a film clip showing Hitler and his generals.

The Nazi idea of a "perfect" race is echoed in the idea of a "perfect" dog.

A massive shake-up is needed.

Time, I think, for the Kennel Club to stop being a law unto itself.
Breeders and owners need to consider animal welfare before prestige and financial gain.

If new Government legislation is needed to bring this about, then so be it.
I Mary Hanson (Mrs)
Springfield,
Wootton,
Northampton.

I applaud ban on ugly shop fronts
I read through your columns that the council planning department is taking action against unauthorised shop fronts.

I am delighted that they are making an attempt to reverse the dumbing down process that has been happening in our town centre.

We have some beautiful buildings, which over the years have been vandalised by the installation of ugly shop fronts and even uglier shop fascias.

Our best street in the town centre is generally regarded as St Giles Street but even here we have seen the appearance of some garish and inappropriate signage.

I applaud any initiative that raises the bar to the point where all shop fronts and fascias would pass the "Bruge test".

Well done to the council! I hope it wins the uphill battle.
Joe Castello,
Earl Street, Northampton.

Immigrants who enrich country
I agree with Keith Jackson's comment about pensioners and the disgraceful pension that they receive from this Government; though why he should blame that on the immigrants is beyond me.

I am a pensioner myself, with a very low income, having worked hard for 50 years, with only about three months of unemployment in all of that time.

Two years ago I visited Poland and on an excursion to Auschwitz was greatly moved by this memorial to the people who died there as a result of hatred fuelled by racism.

This is, of course, an extreme form of racism, but the seeds of it can begin in a small way.

To me, racism is abhorrent in any form and we need to do everything possible to root out those seeds before they have the chance to grow.

I carefully avoided the word "racism" in my previous letter and I would not want Mr Jackson to think that I am accusing him of being racist.

My point was that the British have historically been immigrants into many other lands, without asking permission, and usually plundering their resources for our own benefit.

Look at Cecil Rhodes in the former Rhodesia; or the Raj in India, living a life of luxury while outside their gates the natives were dying for lack of food and water.

Mr Jackson mentioned America. Most Americans are the descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers, so their roots are British; the real Americans – the red Indians – have virtually disappeared.

Australia is the same, the native Australians – the aborigines – have had a very poor deal which is only now being addressed.

He asked why we should share our better life with those worse off than ourselves.

The answer is: because to help those in a worse situation than we are is a good thing to do.

The immigrants enrich our society and we should be proud that Britain, small though it is, is willing to help those with a lower standard of living than we have.

We used to be called a Christian country; I for one wish we still were.
David Haddon,
Drovers Walk, Spring Park, Northampton.