I READ with great interest, Alan Whalley's article 'Woodland Way to a Better Existence' (Star, Dec 21 2000).

I am heartened by the new tenants and residents association. I appreciate environmental activities centred around the woodland area. The Nativity pageant is inspirational and I hope it becomes an annual event. I wish luck to the Friends of Clinkham Wood.

In the recent past, I became involved with the Rangers and devoted time to picking up rubbish dumped, I presume, by the residents of the estate. Some of my neighbours worked hard putting new wiring round the perimeter of the playing field. After picking up litter a couple of times, I became disheartened to find more rubbish dumped immediately after and my neighbours' wiring pulled out. I believed I was wasting my time and energy.

I regularly walk my dog around and through Clinkham Wood and witness broken bottles and household waste dumped among the trees; fridges, doors, TVs, videos, baby buggies, bed heads, mattresses -- you name it.

Once a year, I also see a team of council workers doing a great job of removing this rubbish over the space of a week. I see the Rangers and volunteers making footpaths, clearing overgrown areas and generally cleaning up.

This Christmas, my dog was running through the wood and cut his paw very badly on broken glass. He has had surgery and I have spent more than £100 on this injury. A dog was hurt this time, but next time it could be a child. And you, who create havoc in Clinkham Wood, it could be your child, your little sister or brother.

We are always reading of dog walkers who don't clean up but we never hear of people who dump rubbish. What penalty? Who monitors?

After all, the council collects bulky rubbish free of charge if you phone and wheelie bins take a lot of household waste.

BDF, Moss Bank (name and address supplied).