THERE are not many green spaces left in Ely. The park is good and Jubilee Gardens, but you don t see a lot of wildlife there do you? Having lived opposite Roswell Pits since my marriage in 1954 I, my late husband, children and grandchildren have always lo

THERE are not many green spaces left in Ely. The park is good and Jubilee Gardens, but you don't see a lot of wildlife there do you?

Having lived opposite Roswell Pits since my marriage in 1954 I, my late husband, children and grandchildren have always loved the Pits. We have seen deer (many years ago) rabbits, swans, ducks, moorhens, foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels, owls, woodpeckers, cuckoos which wake me up early in the morning, many other birds and muntjac deer. At certain times of the year, there are beautiful dragonflies, grasshoppers and tiny blue butterflies.

I understand Mr Tyrrell would want to make a profit, but the Pits shouldn't have been sold in the first place. I knew nothing about it until just before it was sold.

When I first came to live in Prickwillow Road, there were grass snakes and newts. My neighbour can remember seeing otters in the pits, but sadly I have never seen one. My son has seen marsh harriers many times and has heard the bitterns, too.

My children and their friends spent many happy hours around the pits. On one occasion, my son's friend stripped off and swam to rescue their boat which had been stolen and left an island. I'm glad I didn't know about iy until later.

I've never seen so many lily pads and dog daisies as there are this year. If the Pits are developed, something priceless will be lost forever and I would be so sad to see it go.

LEILA CORNWELL

Prickwillow Road

Ely