THERE have been several milestone events in my life this year. I will single out two… the birth of my grandson and the refusal of a planning application for wind turbines in the old home village.

These seemingly disparate occurrences are actually linked and I’ll explain if you’ll just bear with me.

As you may be aware, I’m implacably opposed to these hideous windmills that not only defile the countryside but also can never meet anything other than a tiny proportion of our future energy needs.

For the last few months, the people from my former stamping grounds in north Warwickshire have been locked in combat with a large corporation that was intent on making a packet from these taxpayer-subsidised monstrosities at the expense of other people’s health and peace of mind.

Thankfully, the local planning committee kicked the whole thing into touch and this particular hallowed turf remains safe for the time being.

I imagine that the Green Party – now a pushy bunch of suits with eyes fixed firmly on the mainstream – will be very disappointed over this setback to their fantasy ‘renewables’ agenda.

However, I do know for certain that the local Friends of the Earth are very miffed about the villagers’ victory. But at least they’ve nailed their colours to the mast.

This summer, I visited the area and took a number of photographs of the threatened valley, just in case this was to be my last chance to see it as it has been since the 18th century enclosures.

And it also occurred to me that if the turbines went ahead, that daydream of a future camping trip with my grandson might never become reality.

Thankfully, the twin forces of vested interest and so-called ‘eco’ groups have been defeated… which means that an expedition by the old dog and his young pup can now take place.

*I CAUGHT a vision of how Britain might appear in years to come on a recent trip to the former East Germany.

Still recovering after years of communist rule, the new gauleiters have decreed that every hillside should be covered in turbines. I counted nearly 50 on one long ridge, half of which didn’t seem to be working.

The Greens want this for England, despite all their mealymouthed talk about ‘renewables’ and dewy-eyed ‘saving the planet’ platitudes. I say it’s high time we placed nuclear power back on to the agenda and follow the sensible lead set by France. A forest of white windmills stretching from Ireland to the Urals is, of course, an EU-driven dream – but you can bet your bottom euro that none of the Strasbourg fat cats will have any in their backyard.