SIR: I was dismayed on reading the BEN on Friday (April 17), to find myself nominated under the heading 'Rat of the week'. Because of the very nature of the writer's complaint, I am disappointed that you didn't investigate further the justification behind this personal attack on our drainage business, rather than simply accepting the views of someone who really ought to seek out the facts before apportioning blame my way.

Apparently, the views expressed within your letters pages, were those of 'a majority of residents who put up with a minority's thoughtlessness'. Unless the writer has the latest regionalised census figures, I doubt if they would know the figure required to constitute a majority unless they have carried out a survey of the whole of Oldham's Estate, with an in-favour vote of above 50pc returned after the polls closed!

We stand accused of emptying the contents of the tankers down Mackenzie Street. That is an outrageous and potentially libellous comment. An example of this is made with reference to a discharge of petrol on April 2, resulting in a call to the environment officer. Our tankers use diesel anyway, but anyone throwing petrol away at nearly three and a half quid a gallon, wouldn't be working for a living!

To set the record straight, any discharges made on that date were from a construction company, but nothing as far as we are aware that could have been perceived as a potential environment problem, a view substantiated by the environment officer who DID respond to the writer's call, but obviously felt that his time had been wasted.

We have lived on this council estate all our lives, and are proud of the fact. We don't like the idea of upsetting individuals let alone majorities. Anyway,we are seeking to move the vehicle away from the residential area. We will be happy to carry out such a move as soon as we can find appropriate secure premises. Happy to redress the balance

Anthony Gornall

(Managing Director

A&A Tank Drain

Services Ltd)?

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