MADAM, Like many other people of Ross, I am increasingly disturbed by the arrogant manner in which trees are felled in the environs of this town.

Some time ago a large tree at the foot of a gardens on Wye Street was deemed some sort of nuisance and a little before a beautiful Redwood was in the way of a so-called Archaeologial site.

Then for the narrow interests of some canoeers, a beautiful poplar was felled on the river bank close to the canoe launch site, even though canoes have been successfully launched at this point without the tree causing the slightest hindrance or offence.

Finally, our lovely graveyard has now seen the disappearance of a huge and beautiful tree, I believe it was a Horse Chestnut. Its prematurely browning leaves are common throughout the country, whilst the trees continue to thrive throughout the spring and summer in apparent good health and will continue to do so if they are somehow protected from the nervous and tree-hating predations of councils.

I expect this letter will provoke the usual Council response claiming that they know what they are doing, which has so far proved to be anything but the case.

PG Hewett, Ross