I feel that I really must comment on those who are unfairly maligning Wychavon District Council, in particular, some of the local Clergy.

The Local Authority has a duty to all the local residents and has to work within current legislation. In enforcing the Injunction made by a High Court Judge in London they are merely implementing the terms of that Order, which gave the Gypsies ample warning that they were required to leave the site on a specific date.

Throughout the Court proceedings the Gypsies have been represented by Lawyers in Birmingham who specialise in acting for Gypsies throughout the country in similar situations and are experts in that area of Law.

To actively encourage the Gypsies themselves and others in the mistaken belief that refusal of their Planning Application was because of discrimination against them as Gypsies, is inflammatory and dangerous. Nobody, whoever they were, would have been granted Planning Permission on that site. In fact, a local Grower, whose family has lived and worked the land alongside the site for generations, had an application to build a single house turned down only recently.

Of course, Gypsies have a right to safe homes, with access to schools for their children, but this cannot be achieved by breaking the Law. It must be tackled nationally and not left to small Local Authorities to resolve on their own.

Is the fact that so many Gypsies seem so keen to descend on this area, not that Wychavon District Council is draconian, but rather that it has an excellent record for providing sites?

H. Smith, Eckington.