Nature’s not always cute

THE letter from your reader Sara Siloko regarding the badger cull, Hereford Times, May 1, contains many misrepresentations and distortions and should be challenged.

Although I am a farmer, I do not keep livestock so am not directly affected by the widespread incidence of Bovine TB but many of my neighbours who do keep cattle have been subjected to the misery of the increased incidence of the disease.

It is well proven and accepted, even by the most blinkered of the anti-cull fraternity, that BTB is transmitted freely between badgers and cattle. This has been known since the early 1970s when TB was first discovered in badgers in Gloucestershire.

TB had been almost eradicated from cattle in the 1960s but when the link to badgers was proven some farmers tried to cull badgers on their land.

Wildlife protection groups lobbied Parliament which led to the Badger Act of 1972 which made it an offence to kill badgers without a licence.

This was followed by a further Act in 1992 giving even stronger protection to badgers. With retrospect, these must rank as some of the most misguided and foolish wildlife protection measures ever.

Since then badger numbers have ballooned, as has the incidence of BTB.

Just what is it that is so sacred about the badger that the anti-cull protesters, wildlife trusts, etc. cannot contemplate the necessity of controlling their numbers?

Do these people really view it as a harmless, rather cuddly animal with a stripey face? Quite apart from its role in the spread of TB the badger is a top predator with no natural enemies and, while living largely on earthworms, hoovers up all living things it comes across in it’s search for them.

It is largely held responsible for the steep decline in hedgehog numbers, being the only animal capable, with its long claws, of unrolling and killing them.

New born lambs, young hares and rabbits, bee and wasp nests, the eggs and young of ground nesting birds, the badger devours them all.

Is it really just a coincidence that some of the birds facing the steepest decline in numbers are ground nesting species such as lapwing, skylark and yellowhammer?

No one wants to exterminate badgers completely, what is needed is a reduced, healthy population rather than an excessive, diseased one, TB is a miserable, prolonged death for any species.

The one thing I do agree about with Ms Siloko is that the cull, as implemented by shooting, is both ineffective and not very humane.

A far more effective and humane control measure would be the gassing of setts in areas of high infection using carbon monoxide from vehicle exhausts which would be highly effective and painless as well as costing a fraction of the current cull and vaccination policies.

The vaccination of badgers, as being carried out in Wales, is likely to prove an expensive farce as it does nothing to cure badgers which are already infected, which after vaccination are released to carry on spreading the disease.

RON FRANCIS Clyro

Work on roads is vital

THE poor standard of roads and pavements in the central area of Leominster prompts a number of questions;

* Are our town councillors aware of the problem and are they putting pressure county councillors for action to be taken ?

* Are our county councillors, in turn, putting pressure on Herefordshire Council to do something?

* The stone cobble type materials used by the council on the last two attempts to lay a road surface, have badly sunken, to a point where drains and other ironworks have become dangerously exposed. Does the county council intend to continue using these materials, and if so, how does it propose to stop the road surface from sinking for a third time ?

* And finally, when can we expect our roads and pavements to be made safe ?

After all, taxpayers are as strapped for cash as is the county council. We can’t afford to keep paying for jobs to be done several times, when once should be enough.

GRAHAM CARPENTER Leominster

Sailing into the future

RECENTLY there was an article in the Hereford Times about a group that wishes to restart sailing at Bodenham Lake.

Bodenham Lake, the county’s sailing centre, fell victim to Herefordshire Council budget cuts in April.

The article detailed how local boat owners, want to reopen the facility, using their own boats to make sure the next generation of sailors are not left in the doldrums.

I want to make our group open for all people to share and run for themselves.

Our goal is to establish a sailing club that will be passed from generation to generation of Herefordians.

To find out more email disabledsailingherefordshire@hotmail.co.uk Many thanks.

STEVE LLOYD Leominster

A brilliant bank holiday

WHAT a wonderful bank holiday weekend we have just had in the county.

In Hereford, we had the Villa Street community picnic, the River Festival, the Air Ambulance fun day and the Haywood Park open day.

In Ross, a charity collection for the Basement Youth Trust, Wonders of the Wye, the Hedgehog Festival, St Mary’s Church fete, River Festival and the Ross Beer and Cider Festival.

At all of these events, I was impressed by the way local communities worked together and involved people of all ages.

This was due largely to the sheer hard work of so many volunteers.

I know that there were also many others activities that I didn’t manage to get to, but to all of you involved in events this weekend, a very big thank you.

LUCY HURDS Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate

Hopes and fears for city

WE have this week at long last seen the opening of our new shopping complex on the Old Market site along Edgar Street, and it must be the promised better future for Hereford so it has to be given the utmost support from us all, and the many doubters who so often had some very serious questions to ask. It looks very inviting from the outside so it will be well worth a visit.

However, there is still the controversy of the relief road and what our traffic problems are going to be.

Only recently I came across an old copy of the Hereford Times, December 2010, and there is the whole story of traffic situation here in Hereford.

There’s seldom a week passes without there is a letter that tells us how important is the need for a ‘bypass’ and so it goes on.

Mr J E Geary of Kingstone, “shorter and cheaper route for city bypass”, same page Jeff Burkin says “why we really do need a bypass” and to the “gridlock in the fog”

and to bring it all up to date Bill Tanner tells us that the Highways Agency refuses to back bypass plans.

There must be some short sighted people on this group of people to say the least.

If we are to believe that there was a vision for the future of Hereford in the development of the cattle market then these people have really lost the plot when they could have hit the jackpot for Herefordshire council.

There now remains just the overall cost to this council and the huge sums of monies that we have heard so much about and the debt this cash-strapped council has run up. The figures we have seen quoted in the Hereford Times are mind blowing and hopefully can be justified at the end of day.

In this day and age we no longer talk in thousands or even millions, but billions that just run off the lips of all politicians at all levels.

We are told so often by George Osbourne about the deficit and the black hole this has brought about, so the point in question is how much this council has now contributed to that deficit.

I really hope that we see the success of our new shopping centre will come to fruition and that the city will truly benefit in the years to come.

My real fear is that our High Town is going to be the loser and our city will be split in two.

This is my concern about the whole saga of this ten year commitment by a council in office when this project began.

I sincerely hope that the aspirations of those people responsible will be fully justified and our future be secured.

CRAWFORD POWNEY Geldof Grove Hereford

Yet another fine mess!

WE NOW have pink and blue and lime green too; and, yesterday I saw special packs of deep maroon – bags for dog mess.

Bins here and there, are they used? By some; but I’ve seen little piles of these bags underneath hedge and bush, hung upon the branches of trees (very noticeable if lime green) and so totally environmentally unfriendly.

Dog mess rots down – plastic does not.

Ours goes down the loo.

Why not take your dog mess home and do the same. Wash out the bag and use again.

Why not take a trowel with you and remove it underneath a hedge so it rots down to manure the environment rather than leave yet more plastic?

Do you clean up after your cat?

Well now, never yet seen that and cats rarely do it in their own garden but choose a neighbour’s.

And poor neighbour, if they are gardening and put their hand in it.

So what are we going to do with it?

MA BROWN Dulas, Hereford

Calling all carrier vets

ALL hands to flying stations.

Did you ever serve on board any of the light fleet carriers, HMS Bulwark, HMS Albion, or HMS Centaur? Our organisation – the HMS Bulwark Albion Centaur Association – is open to anyone who served at any time on these ships.

This year’s major event will be at Sheerness and Chatham on November 28/30 for centenary commemorations of the sinking the 5th HMS Bulwark in the Medway in 1914.

The AGM/social this year was at the Royal Clifton Hotel and Spa, Southport on May 9/12.

We send a magazine three times per year and run events, including AGM/ socials, sea trips with HMS Bulwark and anniversary commemorations at home and abroad including Trafalgar nights in Yorkshire.

We also sponsor sea cadets from our affiliated Sea Cadet Corps on three training ships - one sail two motor.

Membership is £8 per annum.

Enquires to Leigh Easton, Glenmoray, Hayford Pl, Cambusbarron, Stirling, FK7 9JX, or email ngsfo@ tiscali.co.uk or visit our website at www.bulwarkassoc.co.uk.

LEIGH EASTON Membership secretary Hayford Place Cambusbarron Stirling

We’re on a road to ruin

ON my five-mile travel to work from Kingsland to Leominster I have noticed a significant lapse in maintenance along the roadsides.

It’s beginning to look very unkempt and unsightly.

Visitors’ first impressions of the town would no doubt be negative at present.

What has happened?

LYDIA DYER Kingsland, Herefordshire

Stop ignoring closed sign

WE live on Knockerhill, Callow, and since May 6 the road has been closed.

Signs were put up to inform people of this work, so why do drivers still try to use this road?

It is true what they say, most of the general public do not read signs that are put up to inform them.

Plus it is down to health and safety. I cannot believe how many drivers have still tried to use this road, it is closed for a reason.

Drivers move the cones and barriers just so they can use the road.

J WATTS Knockerhill, Callow

Many thanks to kind staff

I RECENTLY had chest pains and stayed one night in the Clinical Assessment Unit at Hereford County Hospital.

Thankfully, my case did not turn out to be serious, but I wish to praise the unit for its kindness and efficiency – not only to me but to the others around me.

We are very quick to criticise these days and I feel praise should be given when it is due.

Thank you to everyone in that unit. I would also like to say that everyone I encountered was charming and helpful and that it was spotlessly clean. Keep up this good work.

ANNIE AUSTIN Hereford Road, Weobley

Bingo night raised £726

MAY I say a sincere thank you to everyone for their help and support in raising funds for research into ME.

Our bingo night plus donations resulted in a grand total of £726.

My thanks again.

BERYL COMPTON Stanford Bishop

Looking for the Shellams

WOULD it be possible through your newspaper to ask if anyone has any information on the Shellam family or their relatives which resided at 12 South Bank, Whitestone, Herefordshire until the early 1960s?

I can be contacted at great auntierose@gmail.com

ROSE TOMLINSON Lovell Road, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire

When did our shop shut?

I WONDER if you can help me please.

I am trying to find out when our family business A G Evans, 8, High Street, closed down.

The shop was owned by Mr Marchant the tobacconist, he let it to his nephew who sold it to John Menzies in the late 1960s.

As I was living in Scotland at the time, I have no notice of it closing down.

I have tried finding out from so many people. I wonder if anyone knows when John Menzies opened?

It would be so wonderful if they did.

MRS ELAINE WHITE Woodfield Gardens Belmont Hereford

City is in a right state

HOW pleasing to know that lots of people visited the new retail park.

Did they visit the city?

How many people who visited the new shops noticed the state of the grass verges and overgrown trees and hedges.

In some places verges are so tall and overgrown that it is dangerous on the roads in many places?

When are the potholes going to be repaired?

The ones by the junction of King Street and Greyfriars Bridge have put me off visiting Hereford.

I have just had two weeks in Pembrokeshire, where the roads are in a good state of repair, even the small streets.

All the grass verges are kept short, with lots of small flowers, and the trees in lots of places have been cut back. The other good thing is the car parking: two hours for 50p means you visit lots of places and visit the shops so you spend money.

Also they don’t keep the street lights on all night.

The ones by junctions are left on, and because there are no lights in the country, you can see the stars.

It is so nice.

The lights in Hereford went off at midnight in the 1960s, with the ones at junctions left on.

With all the technology that is used today, maybe we could have a lot of lights turned off at night.

Just think about how much money could be saved.

DM TREHERNE Bardolph Close, Hereford

Steinway is up for hire

I WAS very sad to read last Friday of the demise of the Lion Ballroom in Leominster.

Many musicians have enjoyed the use of the Steinway piano there and sadly this opportunity is now no longer available to them.

All is not lost, however, as a similar opportunity is alive and well at Holy Trinity Church, in Hereford, the home of the magnificent Museum of Cider’s Steinway concert grand.

This is maintained in top- class concert condition and is busier than ever around the county.

It is worth reminding local musicians that the piano can be used at very low cost in Holy Trinity Church.

The building now benefits from a new hot water heating system and a new state- of-the-art lighting system is due to be installed in the autumn, making it a most attractive performance venue.

STEWART TAYLOR Breinton Road Hereford