I WOULD like to voice my concerns regarding the questionable but continued right certain people seem to have to allow their sheep to wander freely around the Forest of Dean. This is by no means a new topic as far as your newspaper or the Forest is concerned, and I am sure many other people have complained and criticised this archaic and outdated practice.

What I would like to know is: is there actually a law that states certain people are allowed to do this?

If so, can we see this published for all to read and understand? I can honestly see no sense at all in this practice still being allowed in the new millennium. If the present Government were being asked to pass a law on this now, would they? I think it would be highly unlikely.

It appears ridiculous that these poor dumb animals are allowed to meander around our roads freely, walking aimlessly in front of vehicles as they wish. They are a danger to themselves and to every man, woman and child who travel the roads of the Forest of Dean every day. They are a continual cause of road accidents, both minor and serious. They can cause untold damage to our cars and still walk away. Through no fault of our own, our cars can be written off or damaged, we foot the bill and individuals responsible for allowing the sheep to wander sit back smugly with no liability on their part.

The sheep are without doubt a serious and continual safety hazard within the Forest of Dean.

We have people continually complaining and demonstrating about the rights and wrongs of fox hunting, ie poor dumb animals being subjected to cruelty and death. The people that let their sheep roam the roads of the Forest of Dean do exactly the same. They subject sheep and young lambs to unnecessary pain, injury and death every year without question. If you compare the numbers of foxes killed during hunting to the number of sheep killed and maimed each year in the Forest, they pale into insignificance.

When this practice started our roads were relatively free of traffic, vehicles travelled at far lesser speeds. Now the roads are crowded, there are no safe areas for sheep, they are in continual danger 24 hours a day. If a sheep reaches maturity around roads it is more by luck than judgement.

Yet there are no demonstrations about this practice, no screaming crowds with banners no police presence required. Have our 'animal rights' friends missed what is happening here?

I would like to know what our local MP's stance on this issue is. How can this practice be justified in this day and age?

Can the Review instigate a local referendum by mail or telephone on whether this should be allowed or not?

Let's find out what the majority of Foresters want. If the majority want to see sheep off the roads and safely into fields where they belong and our streets, roads and picnic areas free from sheep excrement, then the majority should rule, not a very small number of individuals who use an outdated act or law to put other people in danger.

It is time for common sense to prevail and stop this ongoing carnage. The sheep have the same right to a life free from cruelty and death as foxes. – A Forester, Mitcheldean.