I WOULD like to bring two issues to your attention.

Firstly, the matter of a dog named Rex. Rex is a handsome, healthy-looking dog, but he roams the streets and Victoria Park alone seven days a week at all hours.

Not only is he at risk of accident and constantly being persuaded by gangs of youths to venture into the lake, even when it is covered with ice and to do so would result in certain death. But, I have reason to believe, backed up by visual evidence, that he has killed several of the wild fowl, including a gander and some goslings last summer.

This again was encouraged by the said gangs of youths. Rex is not hostile, nor in the least aggressive to humans. In fact, he is very friendly. Neither the dog warden nor the RSPCA have responded to requests to put an end to this situation.

The second issue is the ignorance of some people regarding water voles and the mistaken belief that they are sewer rats.

Water voles are, I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, a protected species. They have little or no fear of humans and swim and feed alongside the ducks. The tragedy again is that ignorant individuals are cruelly killing these creatures who allow people to get very close to them without realising they are about to be subjected to cruelty and terror.

Perhaps with your help these matters will be resolved before further death and mayhem occurs again this summer.

Margaret Chilton (address supplied).