Taking pride in new bridge

Sir, - The design and construction teams involved in every aspect of the Queensferry Crossing should be justifiably proud of the achievements involved in this project (October 12).

Your report explaining what was involved in positioning each of the 36 deck sections into the free-standing central section of the bridge took my breath away in terms of what was required in getting each of the 750-tonne sections in place.

Rightly, they have secured temporary acclaim for a Guinness World Record as the largest freestanding balanced cantilever in the world, until final connections to the rest of the structure are completed.

For the public at large, it is almost beyond belief that humans can work together to produce such a construction that when finished will be both an incredibly impressive bridge and a beautiful one too.

All in Scotland, along with huge numbers of tourists, will appreciate three iconic bridges standing proudly alongside each other, demonstrating the very best of construction techniques over more than a century. Keith Howell. White Moss, West Linton.

It cannot be right that teachers should be required to search pupils for weapons in addition to their existing responsibilities for maintaining discipline in schools. How might this work? Would every pupil be searched every morning, after lunch, after breaks?