YOUR headline, "England fans face jaws of hell" (October 1) and last week's headline in a similar vein, not only did not represent the sentiments of the people travelling to Turkey to see the football match, it was deeply insulting to many people.

These sort of attention-grabbing headlines can only lead to racial intolerance and anti-Turkish feelings.

Why the Evening Press, which normally advocates racial tolerance, should find it acceptable to act in this way I find deeply disappointing.

What happened in Istanbul when the Leeds fans were killed was a tragedy we shouldn't forget, but to revive anti-Turkish/racist feeling at this time is wrong. We have a significant Turkish population in York, many of them hardworking and not particularly interested in football.

There are many of us; including the two men who are still going to the match, who know Turkey as a place far different from the headline description you have adopted. Perhaps the sub editor should visit....

J Wilson,

Albemarle Road,

York.

Editor's note: There have been appeals from the Football Association and from the England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson imploring people to stay away from the match. Racism does not come into it. Had the game been played in, say, Manchester we would have echoed the same sentiments. This is no reflection on the people of Turkey or the Turkish population of York.

Updated: 10:54 Thursday, October 09, 2003