Online voices

STORY:

It was 80 years ago this week when German planes targeted Sunderland, Hartlepool and other key North East towns in the Battle of Britain.

Paul Emerson: Hard to imagine only 80 years going to bed knowing a German bomber could blow you and your family to pieces. Women bringing up kids with rationing on while not knowing if they would see their husbands, fathers or brothers again as they were away around the globe fighting the war. That was real hardship, and tough times. Now we moan about...…

Melvyn McAlpine: God’s truth these people managed to get on with their lives during a war, there are people now who can’t manage to cross the road for drink and drugs and they say society has moved on.

Dave Armstrong: My mam told me that she and the family were bombed out of 3 houses, I know she once lived in Coronation Street down the East End.

Jim Tansey: Must have been a tough breed then. Nowadays people get upset at the most trivial thing. Sad.

Deborah Brook: It’s true that we moan about stupid things while in them days life was hard no tv no internet not knowing whether you are going to live or die now that’s what you call a hard life.

Paul Renwicks: Deborah Brook, hit the nail on the head there.

Jenny Tulworts: Very sad when you think what they went through.

STORY:

Fire chief issues a warning after a rise of deliberate grass fires in Grindon and Thorney Close.

Carol Bestford: We walk our dog through there every day and that park is a disgrace. It gets left to grow really long and is unsightly until it is roughly cut down, obviously to save the council money. It used to be such a nice park years ago.

Debra Waller: Carol Bestford. I was out tonight and I was thinking the exact same thing. There’s lots of good stuff planned for the park later but I think we should apply for funding to get the grass cut properly, the stream cleaned and all the paths cleared