Letter: Children suffer under persecution of travelling families

Sir: In your otherwise excellent leading article today (17 February), you say gypsies are 'alarmist' in drawing parallels with ethnic cleansing in Bosnia.

Trouble is, the Government has said nothing of its plans for the thousands of travelling people they will turn into homeless 'criminals'. The Home Office has allocated pounds 500,000 for provision of pounds to store (and, after six months, destroy) confiscated caravans, our only homes, even though the same land and money could create legal sites.

Since the election, intensive dehumanising propaganda has portrayed us as subhuman 'invaders', readying the settled population to turn a blind eye. We're used to hard times, but it's getting crazy out here.

Yours truly,

GILL BARRON

North Country Travellers

Association and Northern

Gypsy Council

High Bentham,

North Yorkshire

17 February