AGRICULTURE has been the primary industry of every nation since the beginning of time, a fact which highlights the importance of food production.

In England it is now facing the greatest threat it has ever known, from one of the most dangerous industries ever known to mankind - fracking for shale gas.

Yet, our own dictatorial government is hell bent on forcing this upon us, and will stoop to anything to get their own way.

I urge all farmers to learn more about it, because being a life-long farmer myself, I feel deeply concerned about the enormous risks involved.

Our MP Kevin Hollinrake says it can take place here, because he will ensure it is done safely. What an irresponsible statement. Besides the terrible disturbance and defacing of Yorkshire, our precious pure air and water supplies will be in grave danger.

Whichever commodity we produce, be it cereals, beef, milk, sheep or vegetables, it will take just one hint of contamination for our buyers to immediately reject our produce.

This is not scaremongering, this is the stark reality of fracking. Our businesses will fail and our land will be worthless. Will Mr Hollinrake compensate us? The answer is no.

It is quite clear that the future wellbeing of our wonderful land, of our agriculture and its allied industries and of our communities rests entirely on our own shoulders.

Mrs J Hellowell, Kirkbymoorside

Fracking fails on PR

REFERRING to your article in the edition of August 10, it is hardly surprising that financial incentives are proposed for people to accept fracking.

The fracking companies and their backers in central and local government are failing miserably in the PR battle on this issue, and recent research still shows that support for fracking is at a very low level and the proportion of people who strongly support fracking has dropped to its lowest level ever.

We note once again the spokesman from Third Energy stating that it has been producing gas and energy safely and securely for more than 20 years.

This statement has been made on numerous occasions both in print and at various meetings, but not once has Third Energy stated that this was with more conventional means and not by fracking which is a totally different process only tried once in the country in 2011 and stopped because of seismic activity.

This proposal is a desperate attempt to sell fracking to the public, and on top of all the problems to be caused by large scale fracking is likely to be divisive in the community and a blatant attempt to divide and conquer.

Phil and Chris Rowland, Pickering

Beal family appeal

RYEDALE Family History Group would like to make contact with any descendants of Mr and Mrs Jack Beal, who lived in Town Street, Old Malton, in the 1940s.

Mr and Mrs Beal had a prisoner of war living with them from 1943-1948 called Fritz Grugel, known as Freddy. Mr Grugel was very involved with St Mary’s Church, and regularly read from the bible to the other prisoners. He was very grateful and appreciative to the people he met during his time in Old Malton. When he left Old Malton he was given a gold ring with his initials engraved on it.

Mr Grugel has now passed away and his daughter came across various items from her father’s stay here and she would very much like to contact Mr and Mrs Beal’s descendants, or anyone else who might have known or heard of her father.

We would be very grateful if anyone who has any information about Mr Grugel, if they could contact us on email at secretary@ryedalefamilyhistory.org or write to Geoff Otterburn, Secretary of Ryedale Family History Group, The Village Hall, Hovingham, York, YO62 4LF.

Geoff Otterburn, Secretary of Ryedale Family History Group