SOON after arriving in Malvern from Oxfordshire in 1976, I met Martin Hudson and was immediately impressed by his immense and deep knowledge of all matters agricultural - this was especially of interest to me since I was in the process of leaving that fast changing scene for that of local government.

During the course of getting into this latter, it was not long before I encountered Martin in some of his many and various guises from chairman of governors of several schools to chairman of Malvern Hills District Council and long-serving chairman of the planning committee. In all of these he displayed a firm, friendly and understanding hand to the benefit of many who were fortunate to encounter this man of many parts.

The world in the shape of the Malvern Hills area will be a lesser place without his always cheerful, genial approach and we shall all miss him more than we can say.

Certainly he was a hard act to follow in his district council ward - The Hanleys.

TOBY BRUCE-MORGAN, Guarlford.