Madam, Could I, and my family, express our feeling through your letters column of some incidents that have occurred on and near the picturesque nature reserve of Coppett Hill over the last few months?

In late Autumn, with my husband and our well trained pointer dog, we had enjoyed a walk along the paths of Coppett Hill when, walking the Wye Valley footpath along the bank of the River Wye, we were approached by a person in a pick-up truck who told us that the surrounding lands, including parts of Coppett Hill, now belonged to the neighbouring estate and we were committing an offence by not having our dog on a lead.

We had seen signs on the public road at Courtfield and on the footpath by the river informing that dogs MUST BE ON A LEAD. We, however, believe that the law states 'under control', which ours was.

The second incident occurred in December when, again with my husband, we were walking the Wye Valley Walk footpath below Symonds Yat Rock by the old barn at Hentland. Lining the river bank within a few yards of the path were a party of people shooting at pheasants, with dogs rushing backwards and forwards gathering up the dead and dying birds.

While walking on Coppett Hill we had seen people with dogs, who were driving the pheasants to the shooting people. My husband asked one of the group what they were doing shooting on the nature reserve and was told that the land belonged to the shooting estate of Courtfield and not to venture further along the path until the shooting had stopped and to, 'keep our dog on a lead!'

The final straw occurred on February 15th. With our friend's children and husband we were enjoying the bright sunny day on a walk across Coppett Hill Nature Reserve when we heard a large group of hounds barking followed by a pitiful scream of a animal in distress.

On rushing towards the sound we were shocked to find a small deer being attacked by the hounds. We beat the hounds of with our sticks and the damaged deer managed to escape. After a few minutes people arrived on horseback.

My friend asked what they were doing and who was in charge and that their hounds had caught a deer. He was told that if we wished to take the matter up go and find the estate gamekeeper. They then galloped off laughing in the direction of Goodrich.

Further along the hill towards the river path a further group of hounds were in pursuit of a small herd of deer. There were none of the hunters anywhere in sight.

Should any of this be allowed to happen on one of the most popular nature reserves in the area with thousands of visitors a year? Can the body that manages Coppett Hill and the bodies we believe contribute with grants of public money to the upkeep of the reserve justify a total disregard for the law and wildlife of the area?

Please don't think we are 'anti countryside' but we do sometimes wonder at the mentality of the people that should have respect for the countryside, its people and its wildlife.

Name and address supplied.

A SPOKESPERSON for the Coppett Hill Common Trust told the Gazette: "The writer of the letter is unaware of the boundaries of Coppett Hill Local Nature Reserve (which is a registered Common). The whole area is surrounded on all sides by the Courtfield Estate, which now also owns Mainoaks Farm – all the fields below Symonds Yat Rock.

"No shooting of game is allowed on Coppett Hill Nature Reserve. What your correspondent saw was pheasant shooting on Mainoaks Farm which is owned by the Courtfield Estate.

"There are no notices on Coppett Hill Nature Reserve saying that dogs must be on leads. The signs that were seen were on Courtfield and Mainoaks Farm where there are issues concerning livestock and dogs which could justify such a notice.

"Hunting of wild animals with hounds is illegal and cannot therefore take place on Coppett Hill Nature Reserve. It appears that hounds were out of control and the Coppett Hill Common Trust was aware of this and took the only measure available to it – to inform the Police that a pack of hounds was chasing deer; the Police attended the scene.

"As you are doubtless aware, landowners or even householders can do very little when hounds from a Hunt run onto their land, other than to seek redress if damage is caused.

Regarding the rights of walkers, under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Coppett Hill is Open Access land which allows walkers free access over the whole area. This Act gives no rights of access to vehicles, horses or mountain bikes and no such rights exist except for householders on the Common.

"With regard to dogs, the Act states: During the period beginning with March 1st and ending with July 31st in each year, section 2(1) does not entitle a person to be on any land if he takes, or allows to enter or remain, any dog which is not on a short lead. Whatever the time of year, section 2(1) does not entitle a person to be on any land if he takes, or allows to enter or remain, any dog which is not on a short lead and which is in the vicinity of livestock.

"However, as stated above, the rules on dogs are not applied at present on Coppett Hill but could presumably be applied in the future if there was concern about dogs interfering with ground nesting birds in the March – July period."