THE Campaign for the Protection of Rural England appears determined to make few converts among "townies" who have arrived in Worcestershire.

The lobbying outfit has published a leaflet, Flight From the Cities, warning of the dangers of city-dwellers leaving the West Midlands conurbation. It wants nothing less than "a halt to the exodus".

According to the CPRE, the shires surrounding the West Midlands conurbation might see an influx of 160,000 people - equal to half Wolverhampton's population - by 2021.

In part, the organisation blames one of the easiest target of all - the media.

Apparently, one reason why people from cities up sticks and head for pastures new is that urban locations are portrayed as unpleasant and unsafe.

"The countryside is seen as a place to escape the dangers of crime, drugs and prostitution, where education and health care are better and people are friendlier," the CPRE claims.

The organisation goes on to paint a rather simplistic picture of the new arrivals.

It thinks urban-dwellers "gobble up" the countryside in low density developments, they travel "everywhere" by car, adding to pollution and congestion; they "destroy the peace and quiet" and attract burglars who know their homes have plenty of consumer items to plunder.

Quite how the CPRE intends to halt migration in a democratic society is not explained.

I agree, that in some cases what once were quaint and mellow havens have been transformed into crowded dormitories.

But, being a cynical sort, I suspect that some of the CPRE's most passionate supporters are types who made the switch to leafier parts in the days before the rural property market became fashionable, and don't like others following suit.

Perhaps, rather than kicking up a fuss about oiks from Wolverhampton buying the house next door, the activists could be a bit less blinkered.

If, as the pressure group believes, migrants are "affluent and successful ... the sort of people who bring prosperity and life to our cities", they might be able to inject a bit of life into the ailing countryside.