SIR - The arguments about tree felling on Perdiswell have missed the main point about what has been happening on our public open space.

Over the last few years, a number of long fences have been constructed, ostensibly to protect the large number of trees which have been planted there. The latest spate of tree planting consists of two rows of trees several yards wide and several yards apart and stretching across Perdiswell.

One of these is a thick planting of thorn bushes around which the rabbit-proof fencing has been built. Rabbit proof it may be, but it is also people proof. It may only be temporary as the council insists, but when it comes down there will be a thick and impenetrable thorn thicket that will perform the same function - to stop people from walking across Perdiswell.

The result is that instead of being able to roam across a lovely open space as before, people are now dragooned into walking along designated walks just a few yards wide. These are bounded by lines of tree planting, which will soon obscure the vista and reduce these routes to blind and insecure alleyways.

Public rights of way which provided a reasonably direct route to and from the bridges across the canal to the main access from Droitwich Road and out into other parts of Worcester have been blocked. The whole of Perdiswell is public open space on which the public have the right to walk anywhere.

The municipal golf course was built on Perdiswell in the full knowledge that it would continue to be part of that public open space.

COUN LIZ SMITH,

Claines ward (in which Perdiswell public open space is situated)