MANY of us still remember living under the fearful, black cloud of the nuclear threat throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Since the end of the Cold War and the break-up of the Soviet Union, we have perhaps been lulled into a false sense of security.

The CND marches have long since disappeared and the Greenham Common protesters have packed up their tents and gone home.

But the North York Moors could soon see the return of the duffel coats and protest banners as the worldwide spotlight - and possibly even enemy missiles - are trained on RAF Fylingdales.

Tory leader William Hague today offered his party's full support to Fylingdales becoming a key European cog in the American defence system.

If the Tories were voted into Government, he pledged, they would approve the North Yorkshire early-warning base being heavily integrated into 'Son of Star Wars', an ambitious project to shield the United States from missile attack.

In the US National Missile Defence project, Fylingdales would be upgraded as an early-warning radar station and linked to the system which would shoot down incoming rockets with American missiles.

But at this point we must sound an early warning.

As the key European outpost in the American defence system, Fylingdales would become a vulnerable target in any hostilities against America - not Britain.

Sights would be focused on our county when it has no other value as a strategic objective.

Tony Blair's government has yet to clarify its stance on the missile defence system.

The Prime Minister must consider carefully whether he wants an American defence magnet located in Britain when it has no direct defence role for this country.

Fylingdales had its peace protest camps long before Greenham Common. We may see the canvas villages springing up once again on the North York Moors.