SO Chris Packham (who apparently lives in France) is against the boar cull. Well, that’s it then.

The Forestry Commission will simply have to lock up their guns and hang their heads in shame.

Supporters of the boar rarely reveal where they live when writing to the Review.

On the occasions they do it is usually places like Cinderford or Lydney – hardly on the front line when it comes to boar incursions.

Here in Parkend it is somewhat different. Our verges and green areas within the village now look more like ploughed fields than places where children can play and families picnic.

Our pavements are invariably covered with ripped up turf and the boar parade though the village in broad daylight.

They have also stripped the turf off many of what were once gentle footpaths into the Forest. Without that cover, the weather and the off-road cyclists have now turned those routes into muddy streams in wet weather or foot challenging, rutted paths in the dry.

We will not be entering any well presented village competitions any time soon.

If the boar ever get onto the sacred cricket square I reckon it will be pitchforks and burning torches at midnight and the smell of roasting pork from the Forest to Gloucester.

Why should we have to put up with this?

If these areas had been fly-tipped, for example, there would be uproar and the council would need to remove it.

Why should the sheep farmers have to spend ever more money and effort repairing or strengthening their fences? Why should any of us have to put up fences at all?

I do not believe that there are many who wish to see the boar destroyed.

We just want them contained within the Forest and steps taken to prevent and rectify the destruction of our home environment.

The boar huggers are continually bleating that there must be some way other than a cull to contain them but do not actually come up with any ideas of their own – other than the ‘genius’ who suggested totally fencing the Forest.

The Forestry Commission refuses to accept any responsibility for anything outside the Forest boundary and the district and county councils play the roles of the other two wise monkeys.

If the boar supporters want to raise more public support I suggest that they actively lobby their el­ected representatives to stop sniping at each other long enough to recognise and act on this problem.

Tourism now makes a major contribution to the economy of the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. Something from which most of us, either directly or indirectly, benefit.

It is true that the boar add to this in some degree. Many visitors come here hoping for a boar sighting.

However many of those are dismayed at the damage they see, which is not helpful if we want them to come back and spend more of their tourist pounds.

As for Mr Packham: In the Middle Ages the boar were valued as the sport of kings and nobles and woe betide any poor Forester who fancied some free-range pork.

It seems nothing has changed much over the 800 years since.

Those of us who live in the Forest are still being told what to do with our wildlife by those who do not.

– Terry Regan, Parkend.