THE recent reports that the farm scale trials of GM Oilseed Rape that have been taking place around Stratford over the last three years have been contaminated by a antibiotic resistant marker genes has highlighted the possible dangers of this new technology.

If, as has recently been reported, these genes can affect the bacteria in the human gut and reduce people's ability to fight infections, the consequences could have serious implications to our health. How will the genes, that have already been released into our environment, be eradicated? Who will pay for the medical research needed to find the new antibiotics that may be required to protect our health, Aventis the GM Company that is carrying out the trial, or the taxpayer?

The possible creation of 'super weeds', if highly herbicide resistant GM genes escape into the countryside from these experiments, may require new methods of weed control. Who will pay for these - the polluters, i.e. the GM seed Companies or the farmers who are still using traditionally developed seeds and who will be affected by the 'super weeds'?

Would it not be better to invest the money that it costs to run these trials to research more organic methods of growing food that do not risk our health or our environment?

DAVID PASSINGHAM, Stretton on Fosse.