AFTER reading how a group of mothers were attempting to raise funds for the installation of much needed apparatus in the Berry Hill playing field, the Review kindly published my letter (September 2, 2011).

In it I outlined a recent history of the park, including the deterioration of the boundary fence, increase in vehicles and the worrying excess speed many of them are driven along the surrounding roads.

It also pointed out that my meeting with Mark Harper MP was a complete waste of time, as all he sent me was the address of the clerk to the West Dean Parish Council, which I already knew.

Once again the group has been highlighted (February 10) after the fence had been vandalised.

A man was seen breaking the rails then carrying some of them away, but he was not identified and the witnesses were deterred from approaching him as he was carrying an axe.

Unfortunately, I was not at home otherwise he may have had his picture in the paper.

However, this latest criminal act is not the only reason why the boundary fence is fast disappearing.

Young people will always choose to climb over a fence rather than use an entrance – it is part of growing up and, as a result, rails will loosen and ultimately fall off. For some time I secured loose rails, but as they broke or were removed, this became impossible.

If West Dean Parish Council, as the owners of the playing field had taken the trouble to carry out periodical inspections of the site and put right any damage that has occurred, it would not be the eyesore that is now blighting our village.

Perhaps they are hoping the action group will spend their hard-earned funds to replace the fence, regardless of them being designated for the installation of playing apparatus.

Should some travellers choose to enter this insecure field and set up residence, the cost of restoring the boundary fence would be minimal compared to that of attempting to evict such trespassers.

In this case, the parish council will, no doubt, be looking for funding themselves.

I put it to the council, restore the fence, replace and keep the gate locked, giving the only access through it to essential services. In doing so, you may gain a little of the respect that has been lost by our village.

You now have another opportunity to answer my letter, which you failed to do after the first one was published.

Let it be known why you have so far allowed your property, which was set aside for the enjoyment of local young people, to become derelict. Give the reasons why the most used apparatus, a bank of swings, was removed and, with it, a promise to re-install or replace them.

Tell us why you have not kept your promises of help to the current group of caring residents and, those in the past who saw their hopes dashed and gave up through your lack of support.

Although one member of the parish council has been in contact with the playing field group, as a whole, all you offer are broken promises, maybe in the hope we will go away.

I can assure the council, some of us will not accept its continual policy of ignoring our endeavours to make the field what it should be, something for Berry Hill to be proud of.

– Charles Smith, Hillcrest Road, Berry Hill.