Letters

Disgusting habits of footballers

WHILE I read almost every week about awful behaviour of dog owners who do not clean up after their pets deposit a “parcel,” I never seem to read anything regarding the disgusting habits of the footballers who use the Mill Lane field in Bradwell on a weekend.

Not only are we given explicit examples of the English language in its most raw form but if you are unlucky you can see the fence which runs alongside the homes on Blue Sky used as a urinal.

So if the person who is so worried about people sitting on grass where a dog had relieved itself is that concerned about urine being deposited willy nilly perhaps they should patrol Mill Lane field on a Saturday or Sunday to discourage what is actually anti-social behaviour.

I don't think you can actually label a dog for that when it does what comes naturally.

SUE INGRAM

email

Metal fence is out of character

WE would be pleased if someone could explain to us how the construction of the curved metal fence, decorated with birds, enhances the island near the burial ground in Hemsby?

The trees show sign of die-back and neglect which does not enhance the look of the site. My wife and I feel that the structures are out of character with the area and the condition of the planted trees are more an eyesore than an improvement.

We feel that those who live and work in the area and regular visitors echo our thoughts. We are Winterton chalet owners.

K & J EDWARDS

Battersea

London

It's a blot on our lovely seascape

WITH reference to the letter from Mr and Mrs Oliver, I agree praise is due to the local council for caring tenderly for our small piece of lovely English heritage that is Gorleston beach and promenade.

The council workers do a good job in keeping the area smart and tidy, and the promenade shopkeepers serve us with a smile winter and summer alike.

But, alas, an ugly wall of blue has suddenly appeared, causing a blot on this landscape cum seascape, to hide the sea and beach from some who choose to stand and stare, and enjoy. I arrive to spend a few hours on the beach and am amazed to find I am faced by a huge blow-up slide.

I appreciate beach caterers are entitled to earn a living, but why has something so large been allowed on Gorleston beach? A lady was trying to push a wheelchair over a hosepipe across the promenade being used for the slide. She could not understand how permission had been given for that? Someone said: “What if it blows away?” and this brought back memories of the time when a freak wind there ripped a small bouncy play-centre from its ropes causing sheer panic amongst kiddies and their parents as it was blown like a paper kite into the wires and lights, ending up on a lamp-post. I remember seeing a lot of shocked people, a father's concern as his wife and child were knocked over, and others hurrying for cover under the trampolines.

There's not much needed now to keep this area user-friendly for generations to come. Perhaps an extension of the shelter would be helpful in keeping this a happy place. But, that large blue contraption? Please - no!

BRENDA BECKETT

Kingfisher Close

Bradwell

Cuttings do help prevent erosion

REGARDING the letter in The Mercury last week from an

unnamed Scratby resident opposing our recognised long established DIY sea defence practice of depositing garden cuttings on the cliff faces in this location, to stabilise them and help prevent their erosion.

(1) The Newport to Hemsby sand dunes and the Scratby cliffs foredune (which joins the cliff base) is stabilised by marram grass - but…

The majority of the Scratby clay cliff faces in this location are not covered with marram grass they are covered with wild shrubs predominantly brambles with nettles and other wild plants.

Nourishment of all these wild shrubs and plants is enhanced by the compost which the deposited garden cuttings become. This compost also retains moisture which provides for prolific root growth, thus stabilising the cliff face underlying soil.

So rather than taking one isolated spot where garden cuttings have just been deposited (as shown in the photo); if you look along this cliff face and check the areas where garden cuttings have been deposited you will note more prolific natural shrubbery growth in these areas compared with the areas that have had no garden cuttings deposited.

However, the article has one point correct: “Areas of cliff face exposed to the prevailing weather fall away more quickly”, so garden cuttings deposits should concentrate on these areas. They should also be more generally spread along the cliff face and not be deposited in the same regular locations giving time for vegetation to grow over previous deposits - as requested in Great Yarmouth Borough Council's environmental health department letter to Scratby Coastal residents dated 10 January 2007. Also as mentioned in my previous letter, branches and large items should not be used.

(2) The term “geosynthetic” is completely out of context when relating to completely biodegradable 100pc organic grass and garden cuttings which become compost and encourages the vegetation coverage that stabilises the cliff face. The term “geosynthetic” is used in relation to Polypropylene (or similar synthetic material) membranes some times with grass or seeds in them normally used in civil engineering to cover the tops of buried landfill hazardous waste sites. Organic garden and grass cuttings are not synthetic or partly synthetic.

(3) When I mentioned that the insertion of shrubs and brush wood attracts sand blown by the wind and builds up and stabilises the sand dunes I was referring to sand dunes, but this practice also works on bare patches of cliff face - if you look along the seaward cliff face at Hemsby where it joins the Winterton valley you will see where this practice has stabilised and extended the cliff face in this location.

(4) Regarding the comment “deposited on some one else's land” when referring to the cliff top area along the Esplanade and North end of California Avenue. The householders in this location do not own the cliff top land in front of their properties; it was purchased from the developers for a token sum by the Residents Committee for the general use of all residents in this area.

(5) Finally, it is worth remembering that during the period up to 1988, 89 cliff top homes were destroyed by erosion between Winterton and Newport and the first losses were at bare sections of cliff face.

MIKE KING

Scratby Cliffs Resident

Sad sight of our missing beach

WAS this the saddest sight of

Bank Holiday Monday? It was noon. A little boy with his parents walking down from Potters field at Hopton, armed with bucket, spade and fishing net ready for some fun on the beach.

But there was no beach at Hopton at all - in fact the sea was hitting the sea wall and cliffs. Prior to the Outer Harbour being built we always had a huge beach and were never aware of high tide or low tide. The Outer Harbour has a lot to answer for.

This massive holiday area has been completely ignored by those responsible for building the harbour.

MARY and RON BROWN,

Seaview Rise

Hopton

Breath-taking time at circus

RECENTLY my family and I travelled from Bolton in the North West to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of my sister and brother-in-law who live in Gorleston. As part of the occasion we paid a visit to the circus at Great Yarmouth Hippodrome.

What a spectacular event. To say I was impressed is an understatement! A rather quaint environment in this day and age but an up-to-date and mesmerising display of talent. Every member of our party which included grandparents and grandchildren had a breathtaking evening and if any of you good people in the area miss this you have missed a treat.

Mrs BARBARA MANGNALL

Bolton

Thanks Peggotty

MANY thanks for Peggotty's excellent article on the Singing the Fishing programme and its local contributors. Also thanks to the BBC for the 50th anniversary re-run. It was good to hear my father's voice again.

LIONEL BALLS

Bure Close,

Great Yarmouth

Beware old Italian and the RSPCA

THE story came too late for me thank goodness. I was within 50 yards of Gorleston police station heading in the direction of Lowestoft when a small black car drew up alongside. An elderly man leaned over the passenger seat to ask the directions and distance for Gatwick Airport. When told he was heading in the wrong direction and it was about 150 miles, he glanced at his petrol gauge. Shaking my hand and thanking me profusely he claimed he had been showing watches at an exhibition. He produced two boxes with two good looking watches marked �299. He said I could have them for �40 as he needed some money to buy more petrol as he had gotten lost. I only had �15 but he offered to drive me to the bank.

I fell for it. I just knew this had to be a con or he did work at the exhibition and stolen them - maybe but he seemed so “nice” I thought this person is in genuine need and wants to get back home to Italy.

I refused to go to the bank but was persuaded to hand over the �15 in my wallet. My mind was telling me if I bought a cheap watch at market it would be at least a tenner. I think the police claim that they are only worth �5 might be a little low. However, I note they have put a “real police constable” on the case. Yet when burgled or for criminal damage they screen most cases out and don't bother.

Am I angry at Superhero Watchman. No, but guess what my family are getting this Christmas for presents. I am more angry to receive my BT telephone bill showing the call I made to the RSPCA via the operator because the main number did not work cost me �17.

The operator did not inform me it was being transferred to a mobile phone number. What did I get from the RSPCA trying to report a dog in distress from the heat; nothing but abuse. My later attempt to email the RSPCA Norfolk West email address came back with the message from “the postmaster”: “Could not deliver this message”.

I have noted the numerous letters where others have fallen victim to the RSPCA. I am sure Mrs S Hewitt is a lovely lady (please continue to report neglect) but I was not sure if she meant report neglect and cruelty to humans like me or to the animals at RSPCA. Maybe she could tell us the RSPCA's chairman and CEOs names and addresses as it seems more secret than the Director General at MI5. We can all drop them a line suggesting they resign and return the �68m the RSPCA reportedly has on deposit in offshore accounts.

The moral of the story; do not trust the RSPCA. Buy your Christmas presents from the old Italian man driving a small black car. It's a steal.

R CORNWALL

email

Memories of fishing industry

ALTHOUGH a landlubber, Peggotty's references appertaining to the fishing industry awoke many memories for me. I was born in Peggotty Road and my first glimpse of the outside world was fish houses at the bottom of our garden. This environment shaped much of my childhood in the 30s.

I started Greenacre School aged four, and we invariably closed our lessons with a sweet little helper asking God to “bless the fishermen”.

By the time my elder brother left school and started work I was considered old enough to inherit his weekly task of repairing to the fishwharf and appeal to the fishermen for any herring. I was never refused; probably they had sufficient empathy to understand our plight in those austere years.

Occasionally they filled my bag so full I had to drag it along the cobbles, wearing a hole in it and losing much of my catch by time I got home. By some process, these herring seemed to last us throughout the week.

On Saturday afternoons, and by way of change, I was commissioned to a kipper house on Exmouth Road to buy two pennyworth of pieces which I believe to be kippers with the gills split and could not be regarded perfect. On one occasion I got 27 for two pence.

On the Sundays we went to chapel.

Besides the free herring, our domestic economy was augmented by my mother lodging three to six fisher girls (in addition to her own family). These hard-working souls in their colourful head scarfs and rag-loaded fingers gutted and packed herring at astronomical speed often in the open air and harsh conditions from very early morning till midnight by the glare of paraffin lambs.

My most memorable occasion, however was when my father took me to the fishwharf on the last Sunday afternoon of the season to witness a farewell service by the Scotch fishermen and though only a child being held in his arms, sensed the hazards of their calling and recollect the emotional experience, which still echoes in my memory of hearing these soulful voices singing “God be with you till we meet again”.

DAVID KING

Falcon Court

Great Yarmouth

Seafront beauty

IT was nice to read Mr and Mrs Oliver's appreciative letter on the beauty of Gorleston's seafront and the many improvements that have been made. The pity is that so few people now come to enjoy the lovely sands which were once thronged with families.

MISS R L FARMER

Marine Parade

Gorleston

Wrong to stop entertainment

LAST weekend many people looked forward to the Beer and Cider Festival at the Fisherman's Return in Winterton. In fact, I know of some people who actually booked a holiday here to coincide with the event. Last year's festival proved a resounding success with live entertainment on the three days from Friday to Sunday. This year, however, all live entertainment was cancelled due to a complaint from a member of the public.

Winterton is a vibrant village, not some sleepy backwater stuck in a time warp, and this event had been eagerly anticipated for months as it obviously brings revenue to this area even in these days of austerity. Not to mention the effect of bringing locals and tourists together to celebrate our lovely pub.

By the actions of this person, the village as a whole has lost out and Darrin and Scott, the Fisherman's proprietors, have obviously suffered a huge financial loss due to the late cancellation of the acts. We all understand that this weekend promised to be anything but quiet but it is one weekend a year!

Whilst we would fight to the bitter end any prospect of commercialisation as evidenced in other seaside villages, Darrin and Scott must be commended for endeavouring to provide this welcome and pleasurable diversion.

Mrs JANE ROBERTS

The Cobbleways,

Winterton

Clean up the Pontins site

I AM a resident of Hemsby who daily walks past the Pontins site which now looks an eyesore, with its long grass and blown down trees. What sort of impression does this give to the holidaymakers when they arrive in Hemsby? In the last few days I have counted on both hands the amount of holes that hand been made in the perimeter fence which is obviously being used for youngsters to gain entry and cause damage and graffiti the empty chalets.

I have tried to contact the Northern Trust who I understand are trying to sell the site but have no reply to try and get some answers to what is actually happening as now the youths have gained entry fires will be lit and we all know what the outcome of this could result in.

Simon Middleton, as we understand, has tried his hardest to take control of the site but the greed of the named Trust obviously holding out for the highest bid in which we also know will not be what the residents want - housing. Why can't the parish councillors try and push for the site to be cleaned up and the perimeter fences re-enforced to stop unwanted trespassers causing unnecessary damage to a once thriving holiday park? The parish councillors have had their office and gardens “landscaped”, so at least try and make the rest of the village presentable.

Name and Address withheld

Appeal for wool

May I appeal to your readers' generosity? Shortly, I shall be returning to Malawi to assist in the orphan village financed by Aquaid UK. We are in need of unused balls of wool to enable the local women to knit baby clothes. If anyone could help, may I ask that it could be brought to 81 St Georges Road by September 18, or call me on 857707. Donations would be gratefully received.

BRENDA TAYLOR (Cllr)

81 St Georges Road

Great Yarmouth

Columbia lives!

WITH reference to P Hubbard's letter voicing his concern over pub closures. Whilst it is true Columbia has not operated as a pub for the past 20 years, it continues to function as a successful restaurant. We have had to reassure many customers that we are neither closed, not have the intention of closing of the near future.

D DURRANT

Manageress Columbia,

Crown Road, Great Yarmouth