Appalled by attack on Shakeel
I would like to offer my sincere apologies to Shakeel Ahmed for the attack on him by a mindless moron last Saturday night. There are many many good families on the Moor Nook estate but unfortunately he happened to come across a complete and utter lowlife.
Please do not think for one moment that anyone would support this idiot. The gang of kids who helped him were actually 18 year olds (my son included) who had attended a well-supervised birthday party around the corner from the attack.
They were disgusted and angry at what had happened and assisted Mr Ahmed.
Sandra Horan, via email

Great to see green area preserved
Residents in South Ribble and Preston very much welcome South Ribble Borough Council's decision to respect our wishes by designating the South Ribble riverside and green belt from Penwortham to Walton-le-Dale a country park.
This follows the equally welcomed decision by Preston City Council not to pursue the Ribble barrage. At Save The Ribble, we received dozens of emails from other local residents within hours of both announcements, celebrating these victories, as well as many from environmental organisations.
The new South Ribble Country Park will not be incorporating the Riverworks vision for a huge new Central Park urban development on the Penwortham green belt and floodplain. Instead, the Country Park will protect the whole of this beautiful area, for the benefit of local people and wildlife, as well as protecting our vital floodplain in the long term.
Now local people can continue to enjoy walking and cycling along the River Ribble and through meadows and woodlands, and play football and cricket on our sports pitches, no longer burdened with the dread that we may lose these forever. Furthermore, the new South Ribble Country Park can now become part of the UK's latest Regional Park attraction: Ribble Coast & Wetlands, which incorporates the entire intertidal stretch of the Ribble from the Irish Sea up river to Brockholes.
Jane Brunning, Leyland Road, Penwortham

Let's hear more about Muslim women's fight
Recent newspaper headlines reported the sacrifice and death, in Afghanistan, of RAF man Garry Thompson; father of four talented daughters. He went there to give Muslim women the same opportunities as his own daughters.
At the same time we see the videos of 'alleged' Islamic terrorists in the current UK court case. They say they must kill thousands of ordinary people to avenge the deaths of fellow Muslims.
The Muslim terrorists, who live in Britain, ignore the fact that the Islamic extremists they follow support extremist imams and terrorist leaders who encourage the unjustified killing, torture and persecution of thousands of Islamic women.
Large numbers of UK Muslims protested about Rushdie's Satanic Verses and the Danish cartoonist's irreverence of their prophet.
But where are the great protests, especially by women, about the injustices suffered by their brothers and, much more so, by their sisters who live in several nations ruled by Islamic extremists?
In the UK there are many educated and articulate Islamic women and men, with the ability and the means to endeavour to reduce the suffering of many fellow Muslims, from tyranny and oppression. No doubt this is happening. But, if this is so, please let the rest of us know.
Peter Ward, Cottam, via email

Headlight rule goes against eco target
The Government is thinking of more and more ways of penalising anyone who does not do their bit to save the planet. So why are our MPs not doing theirs when it comes to another EU directive which states: "From early 2010 cars and vans, and from 2012 lorries and buses will have to drive with dipped headlights all day."
Apart from the danger to motorcyclists who use daytime lights to make them easier to be seen, it will increase fuel costs by 3% - that's £68 a year for the average family.
Could it be, because Brussels now makes 75% of our laws, and will be able to fine us £1m per day if our emission target is not met; or the fact that by 2010 Westminster will be surplus to requirements?
Jennifer Roberts, Norbreck Road, Blackpool

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