I WAS interested to read David Haworth's interpretation of the recent letter on wind powered generators (June 5). I just wish he would himself take the time to come up with concrete figures and relevant research papers to refute the arguments cited against these machines, rather than issue bland, unsubstantiated statements in his support.

Mr Haworth is, however, quite right in his assertion that fossil fuels will cease to exist in the near future. When one considers that, at any given moment in the working week, there are 3,500 aircraft movements over Western Europe alone, that there is a continued exponential growth in vehicle ownership, and that, within the UK, the executive, en suite, natural resource-consuming house is increasingly the norm, it is little wonder that carbon dioxide production is going through the roof.

I stand by the assertion that, in the face of this assault on our environment, the proposed array of wind turbines on our cherished moors will despoil our countryside and be but a sop from our political masters to the international community to assure them that we are "doing our bit".

As the eminent Green guru, Professor James Lovelock, reported on the Radio 4 Today programme recently, global warming is now accelerating at such a rate that, if indeed this is due to greenhouse gases, and not -- as may still be the case -- a natural climate cycle, then the only way forward is a massive expansion in the use of nuclear power.

The political establishment will find this hard to swallow, but why, if France can produce over 70 per cent of its power from nuclear sources, exporting its surplus power to the UK, can we not go back to the drawing board?

I am pleased that Mr Haworth has sought to engage in the wind power debate, but would urge that to fine tune his arguments, both he and any other interested parties should attend the one-day symposium on the impact of land-based wind energy schemes on the British countryside on Saturday, June 19, at the Civic Hall, Lee Street, Uppermill, Saddleworth (10am to 5pm).

Dr I G V James

Chapeltown Road

Bromley Cross