HAVING read Jean Sandiford's letter (BEN: August 23) regarding the possibility of building a new hospital in Queen's Park, Bolton, I must admit it is an intriguing prospect, but how did we get to this idea?

Firstly: knock down the previously existing fully functional hospital. OK, it was an old building, a bit '1900', but it worked. Secondly: the proceeds from the sale of the land are absorbed into whatever fund and our hospital service is halved.

Thirdly: someone has the bright idea of utterly ruining the nearest parkland to the town centre -- a genuine showpiece -- to build a hospital about 100 yards from where the old one was.

The cost of a new hospital would be absolutely astronomical compared to what it would have cost to have kept the original Infirmary open, or to have extended it. I think the whole idea is a bit ridiculous. We need another hospital, but we should never have lost the Infirmary.

As for whooping and cheering about tearing up Queen's Park? I can't quite bring myself to do it.

Ian Edmundson

Mossfield Road,

Farnworth, Bolton