Well-known Forest artist Doug Eaton was among the crowds outside the Main Place in Colford, last Friday, February 4th

He has written to MP Mark Harper, the Prime Minister David Cameron and Baroness Jan Royall and a portion of his letter is printed here.

I would like to register my disgust at your outrageous and unprofessional behaviour at the meeting you organised with 48 hours notice at the Main Place in Coleford on Friday, February 4th, 2011.

To call the people outside a 'mob' was offensive and untrue. I was there and you were not and I do not take kindly to any suggestion that I was part of a 'mob'. I was however with a large group of very angry people who had many good reasons for being that angry and who were very vocal, but not violent.

May I suggest for the second public consultation meeting you announced, you give at least a week's notice and you choose the foresters' preferred meeting place for such things, which is the field behind the Speech House.

You remember, you've been there before, when in opposition you gladly supported us in our objection to the closure of the Forest hospitals, and undoubtedly gained votes as a result.

Come and do the same trick again by supporting us wholeheartedly and rejecting any idea of a charitable trust which is doomed to failure due to lack of expertise and professionalism, possible individual greed of trustees and a total lack of funding from government. Then we may think that our forests are safe from private sell off.

How long do you intend to spend painstakingly manufacturing this 'big rod' for your 'own back'? It's stupid and it does not become you.

Doug Eaton, Coleford