In his fascinating article on space junk, Ian Sample informs us that the radar tracking the debris in the UK is operated by the RAF (Mind that satellite! The mission to clean up dangerous space junk, 21 April). That is reassuring. He adds that it is “analysts from Serco” who interpret the data. Reading that made me feel like ducking for cover.
David Head
Peterborough
• As a born and bred Yorkshire lass, I would like to confirm that the correct phrase is “trouble at t’mill”. The t’ is the Yorkshire pronunciation of “the”. Perhaps it is different in Cheshire (Letters, 24 April)? In Yorkshire we use the definite article before a noun.
Karin Nutting
Leeds
• Trouble wi’ definite article up north is that, depending on its phonetic environment, it’s often a glottally reinforced alveolar plosive, ’an we deean’t ’ave a letter forrit in uz orthography.
Jeremy Muldowney
York
• “At 2pm on 25 April 1932, hundreds of rebellious ramblers descended on Kinder Scout, Derbyshire’s highest point,” says your report (23 April). I didn’t realise that helicopters were so readily available at that time.
Catherine Goundry
Retford, Nottinghamshire
• I’m sure Boris Johnson can look forward to a lucrative career post-politics on television and radio quiz shows such as Pointless, The Unbelievable Truth, Mock the We(a)k and, of course, Would I Lie to You?
Derek Jeffery
Cawston, Norfolk
