SCUNTHORPE Telegraph readers have had their say on the hot topics affecting North Lincolnshire this week.

On our website, www.thisisscunthorpe. co.uk, they have added their voices to the debates surrounding the top stories in the region.

News that Scunthorpe's constituency Labour Party is set to begin choosing its successor to Elliot Morley as Labour's candidate at the next election raised the question should the prospective MP be someone local?

This brought a flood of responses and, for the overwhelming majority of our online readers, the answer was a resounding yes.

A massive 90 per cent believed he or she should be from North Lincolnshire, with only 10 per cent opting for someone out of the region.

The Telegraph also revealed this week that more than 400 motorists have been fined for using their mobile phone while driving.

The figures, which equate to more than one a day, were released by Humberside Police.

We asked readers to give us their views whether there should be harsher penalties for those who commit this all-too-common offence.

A massive 83 per cent believed phone drivers were treated too leniently, with only 17 per cent saying this was not the case.

Exactly the same percentages voted in another of our online polls.

But, on this occasion, the responders were firmly of the belief that raising the legal age at which alcohol can be bought to 21 years would not help to combat underage drinking.

The question arose after it was revealed a booze-fighting bus was taking to the streets of North Lincolnshire in a bid to crackdown on underage drinking.

The success of Scunthorpe entrepreneur Sharon Wright on BBC's Dragons' Den led to controversy, when a Welsh production worker claimed his company had been using something similar to her MagnaMole cable threading device for years.

We asked readers, if they had a business plan, which Dragon they would most like to work with.

Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne were joint favourites, each achieving 33 per cent of the votes. Theo Paphitis was next, with 23 per cent of readers' support and James Caan trailed behind, with 11 per cent. But bottom was Deborah Meaden, who had not one vote in her favour.

A concerned dad called for greater traffic enforcement on Spencer Avenue, near to the entrance of Henderson Avenue Primary School, Scunthorpe.

We asked online readers whether more should be done to increase safety outside the school.

The votes came back 67 per cent in favour and 33 per cent against.

The news that British National Road Race champion Kristian House is set to line up for the Tour of Britain in Scunthorpe later this year led us to ask readers for their attitudes to two-wheelers.

We asked whether this, and the success of the Olympic team and Brits at the Tour de France, had encouraged them to cycle more.

The response was unanimous – with 100 percent saying it had not.

To have your say on the week's big issues visit our website www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk or write to us at Viewpoint,Scunthorpe Telegraph, 4-5 Park Square, Laneham Street, Scunthorpe, DN15 6JH.

Alternatively email your letters to viewpoint@ scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk