THE Conservators' decision to put their own flock of sheep onto British Camp has indeed proved to be an excellent one. Not only are they being effective in reducing scrub, bracken and saplings but they have added an entire new dimension of beauty and movement to the hills.

However, they have yet again failed to think through or act on the consequence of their decisions. I am, of course, referring to the dog problem.

Here it is not just the filth and nuisance, it is the fact that 12 sheep have been killed and many injured. The pathetic and ineffectual signage requesting that dogs be kept on a lead is a typical Conservators' cop-out of their responsibilities.

The dog problem was never that of a small minority. It was always the majority of owners who behave with arrogance, disdain and lack of courtesy to others.

On British Camp, where the signage asks for dogs to be kept on a lead because of the sheep, I can tell you that in the past few months I have counted 97 dogs on a lead and 428 dogs not on a lead.

An effort, however politely, to draw people's attention to the problem is almost invariably met with hostility.

How can the Conservators fail to act in this matter? Accepting that most of them are probably dog owners and recognising that to criticise an owners' dog is like criticising a person's driving and brings out the worst in people, nevertheless are they seriously going to continue to accept the death and mutilation of sheep.

If we are going to continue to have sheep on British Camp there is no alternative but to ban dogs from this area.

There is an excellent shepherd who must be driven to distraction by this problem and could well soon say that "enough is enough".

Cannot the Conservators for once face up to the dog problem and actually do something effective.

DAVID C TARPLETT, Green Lane, Malvern.