Sir,

Re. the Anna Ryder-Richardson case.

How dare Pembrokeshire County Council take this couple to court, when anyone, who is anyone, knew that on the day of the accident, there were exceptionally high winds and it could have happened to anyone, anywhere or at any time on that particular day.

As usual, the short-sightedness of Pembrokeshire County Council has caused great deprivation to this couple and to the area, because of their lack of feeling or compassion.

It is true, however, that someone was hurt and for that we understand how this affected their lives, but this is a risk you take when entering a country park. Are we now going to have to check every leaf, in case someone slips and breaks a leg?

Manor Park is a country park, and, if everyone who owns a country park, i.e. Bluestone and Oakwood (who have thousands and thousands of visitors in a year), could honestly say that every tree, in every area of their part of the country park is safe, then good on them.

Can therefore Pembrokeshire council, who have one of the biggest country parks in the whole of the area, guarantee that all their trees and hedges are safe?

Anna and her husband have brought hundreds and hundreds of visitors to the area, who not only spend in their park, enjoy the animals, and conservation of endangered species, which is being supported by Anna and her husband, but these visitors also go elsewhere in Pembrokeshire and spend, spend, spend.

I would not blame Anna, if she and her husband shut the park down, which in itself is expensive to keep, but I am sure, that as they are so dedicated to their work in conservation, they will not do so, however it will be a struggle, with such a heavy fine resting upon them, and will result in local jobs being lost in order to compensate.

Both myself and my husband spend at least once or twice a week in the Pembroke area, (and we are lucky and privileged enough to live on the edge of Pembrokeshire) as it's only a threequarters-of-an-hour drive from my home, but I know of people who travel from the North of England, and all over the UK to travel there. How about encouraging budding businesses and not knocking them back.

Common on Pembrokeshire County Council, it seems that everytime anyone succeeds in bringing visitors into this part of the world, they get knocked back. Look again at yourselves and your own safety procedures, can you honestly say you are perfect!

Pauline Sturley,

Johnstown.