NORTH Korea's nuclear test has brought home to me the truth about nuclear weapons.

For years I have argued that if countries like ours cling to their nuclear weapons, saying they need them for protection or as a deterrent, then other states are going to want their own nuclear weapons so that they can be similarly safe. But our government denied this, convinced they could carry on telling people to do as I say, not as I do'.

The Korean test shows up the arrogance and blindness of the nuclear weapon states. This test will mean that other states in South East Asia will not be long in acquiring their own nuclear deterrent'. How long from that before one is detonated in anger or in error.

The world cannot afford the risk of a nuclear free-for-all.

The only sane way to proceed is to follow the South African example and renounce the possession of nuclear weapons.

The Prime Minister had said that he would make a decision about whether to replace Trident, the UK's weapon of mass destruction system, before the end of the year. It is essential he gets rid of it.

We cannot afford a decent health service and find the £75,000,000,000 needed to replace and maintain Trident. Already our local health trust has a deficit of £20m. And already services are being cut in Pennine area towns.

We cannot afford decent transport and Trident. There is a £360m shortfall in government funding for the Metrolink. And without decent public transport, how are we going to prevent global warming?

We cannot afford decent education and Trident. Ten Greater Manchester schools have a debt of £3,300,000.

In every local service there are better things to spend our taxes on than Trident.

I urge you to speak out against another penny being spent on this immoral, illegal and money-gobbling weapon.

BETTY TEBBS