I HEAR the latest remedy to the so-say boar problem is to slaughter them all.

Why does this not surprise me? This appears to be the solution to any animal related problems both locally and globally! I am appalled by the total lack of compassion shown to these creatures. Through no fault of their own having been abandoned by thoughtless human beings to survive in the Forest.

I often go for long walks into the Forest with my dog, preferring to go off the beaten track where I can walk alone. I have yet to come across a boar or anything like.

I would be thrilled to bits if I saw a boar but I would also have the common sense to keep my distance and my dog under control. I have seen where they have foraged for food, the ground is turned over but this will grow back eventually.

But I also come across areas where the cyclists and scramblers have been. They do equally as much damage, if not more. The cyclists are provided with cycle paths to ride on but they choose to destroy areas of the woods for their own pleasure. I hasten to add not all cyclists are this inconsiderate but it only takes a few.

The boar cannot tell the difference between a path and a road but the cyclists and the scramblers can. Some of the cyclists even have the audacity to expect you to step aside for them to proceed down the small paths. No chance! I refuse to budge. Argue if you wish.

The other Sunday afternoon there were three lads out on their scramblers down by the Linear Park. They had absolutely no consideration for people walking with their children and dogs or the elderly out taking a gentle stroll. They were speeding up and down the track doing wheelies, showing off.

They then disappeared up into the wood. The tracks are still visible where they cut down through the trees. It is like a quagmire.

I appreciate the weather has been cold and wet but they have not helped the situation. Is the solution to this problem to shoot them or get a German hunting party over to save us the bother and they could pay for the privilege?

Also what about the fly tippers who dump their rubbish on the side of the roads or in the Forest itself?

It is nothing to see the contents of a picnic or takeaway flung out onto a grass verge. I even came across a rolled-up mattress in the middle of the woods. It must have been heavy and cumbersome to carry such a distance. The refuse tip was only another mile up the road. Shall we shoot these individuals as well for being disrespectful and lacking in intelligence?

It was mentioned in the newspaper that there had been eight road accidents since April due to the boar. How many accidents have the sheep and deer caused since April or have these statistics been conveniently lost? Also how many accidents do reckless drivers cause speeding through our beautiful Forest?

There are signs up throughout the Forest warning people of sheep and deer but not the boar. That should not make any difference. They should be slowing down anyway. Perhaps they are driving so fast the signs are a blur and incomprehensible to them.

In the past there had been talk of culling the deer because they are a road hazard and also destroying the fauna etc. The Forest is where these gentle creatures live, it is their natural habitat. Many people visit the Forest of Dean because of its wildlife. They had better make it snappy. There will not be anything left at the rate it is going.

There was talk of culling the grey squirrel because they had killed all the red squirrels. Who introduced the grey squirrels to these shores? Human beings.

Culling all the badgers was another plan because apparently they give the cattle TB. How do we know that the cattle do not give the badgers TB? There is still no conclusive evidence to prove this theory either way.

The big black cat better keep its head down because I am sure there will be some trigger happy fool out there waiting to pose with it dead on the front of a local newspaper. Like the picture that was shown in a newspaper a few months back.

Unfortunately the creature looked like a pet cat. Well done lads! There are several opticians around – I should get your eyes tested immediately!

Last but not least, look at the occasional animal that escapes from the local abattoir. Do they ever get a reprieve or sent to an animal sanctuary to see out their days? No. It is either returned and promptly slaughtered or slaughtered whilst on the run.

Did someone say hunting had been banned in this country? Just as well as there will be nothing left to hunt around here before long. It will all have been hunted down and exterminated under another heading! – (A boar fan just bored with people!) Name and address supplied.