N your letters column on January 3 there were some excellent letters reflecting the opinions of Forest residents concerning the wild boar, and I found Andrew Stephens letter particularly informed and interesting. 

However, I took great offence at the insinuation of the letter titled "Boar Reply" that the writer of the original offending article is a "foreigner" and invited to leave the Forest to the "Foresters" who love it so much.

Short of using a rude word to describe such utter rubbish, I would like to defend us "foreigners". 

I moved to the Forest in 1988 with my two children.  It is a beautiful place, and very mistreated by those who were born here and who often take its beauty for granted.

I hate litter and pick it up regularly in the woods when walking my dogs.

The woods I frequent are not used by "foreigners" much, so all the plastic bottles, beer cans, fag packets, sweet wrappings and some unmentionables are left by locals.

You know, many of us "immigrants" to the area appreciate the natural beauty far more than the indigenous locals do, so do not make insinuations about people whom you know nothing about.

– Steph Harris, Ruspidge.