Letter of the week: 'Hartlepool Town Wall sea defences have no practical purpose'

The dictionary has folly as: “A lack of good sense, foolishness, an act of sheer folly; a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose.”

Both of these descriptions fit – yes, you guessed it – the Town Wall flood defence system.

The plaque, awarded by the Institute of Civil Engineers is for inventing an ingenious drainage system, which, if it works, will defy the laws of physics.

The award was given in the name of Robert Stephenson, one of the greatest civil engineers this country has produced.

In my opinion he would not have wanted to be associated with this project.

Surely the Institute of Civil Engineers should be questioned about the credibility of this award.

The system is unproven.

It is more likely to flood the Town Wall area as the incoming tide floods the drainage system.

A more appropriate award would be in the name of King Canute who, like Hartlepool Borough Council’s engineers, thought he could stop the tide coming in.

Alan Cook,Hartlepool.