MADAM, your readers might be interested to see the

attached photo taken last Thursday at the family picnic

area at Cannop Ponds at about 10.30am, interestingly the

same place they were filming 'Merlin' a couple of months

ago. I have also seen the boar in very close proximity to

picnic and public areas at Speech House.

They are also regularly getting into the Cyril Hart

Arboretum and making a fair mess (£6,000 of anti boar

fencing last year - didn't work very well).

The picnic areas at Wenchford have been seriously

dug up by the boar as have parts of Yat Rock walks,

Mallards Pike picnic area and Speculation Mine. They

seem to be concentrating in areas used regularly by the

public and families. I understand from regular, long time

forest walkers that people are feeding the boar from cars.

Certainly the boar in the photo seemed to take an interest

in my car when I arrived.

I had thought that the boar had now gone feral, and

at the sight of people they would be off, but these ones

and the herd I saw at Speech House last Monday and

Saturday had no fear of people at all. If people visit these

areas they would be advised to proceed with some caution

especially if they have children or dogs.

Name and address supplied