ON behalf of the 1,200 residents who signed a petition against lighting the riverside path from Denny Beck to Caton and all those who detest the urbanisation of the countryside by the creation of a fast track cycleway, a letter has been sent to the Rt Hon Chris Smith MP (Minister in charge of the Lottery), with copies to the Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP (Minister for the Environment), Mr M O'Connor (Director of the Millennium Commission), Mr J R White (Local Government Ombudsman), Hilton Dawson MP and Geraldine Smith MP. A copy can be seen at Caton Post Office.

Not enough can be said about the despoiling of the beautiful Lune Valley:

The lighting wasn't wanted.

The scheme didn't receive community support -- a criteria for obtaining lottery funding and the city council stated they would 'demonstrate to the Millennium Commission that the local community supports their proposals.'

The way money has been spent on eyesores, labelled as 'works of art' is nothing but a scandal.

The city council has committed a gross act of vandalism which has incited more vandalism.

Cowper's famous quote needs to be rewritten:

God made the country and man made the town.

And Lancaster City Council ruin both.

Drusilla Neild & Linda Mills,

Brookhouse,

Lancaster

Any views on this, councillors? Officers? - Ed