THE reply to my letter re the community garden gave the impression that I am against the project. This is not true, I did write that I am all in favour if it is run in a proper manner.

Kay Bickley says they are waiting for planning permission to develop the site. Well earlier this year — before the planning permission was applied for by a Ms Pearson — two Fergie tractors ploughed up a strip of the site, and then it was rotovated, making it fit for cultivation with a bit of manual work. I don't think you need planning permission to sow seeds etc.

Nothing happened and the plot reverted to weeds, ie, docks —dashiels and dandelions. The same thing happened last year. This, Kay Bickley omitted to tell us in her reply.

On to the butterflies, etc. Of course I've seen them, and I'd be pleased to name some for her if she likes.

Finally, the site is not kept open for members of the public to inspect, the gates are always locked, unless a member of the scheme is on site, but as stated in my previous letter they have been noticeable by their absence.

Dave Vernon

Barton Road, Okehampton

FIRSTLY I must apologise for writing two weeks in a row to your newspaper. But, after reading Kay Bickley's response to David Vernon's letter about the community garden site it got my writing fingers twitching!

I wonder if Mrs Bickley has ever thought of putting her name forward as to become an MP. She certainly gets full marks for white-washing over the problems at hand. I thought I'd heard everything until she came up with the reason the site looks like a tip is because it is now temporarily a wild-life park!

I think I'll try that one if my allotment gets behind in the future.

David Luckhurst

Okehampton