I SEE that The National Trust has had to wheel in a new champion for its 13,000-acre so-called Wicken Vision scheme. I m afraid that their high-powered regional PR fellow with his high-flown phrases is no more successful at convincing us local yokels o

I SEE that The National Trust has had to wheel in a new champion for its 13,000-acre so-called 'Wicken Vision' scheme.

I'm afraid that their high-powered regional PR fellow with his high-flown phrases is no more successful at convincing us local yokels of the sanity of the scheme than the locally-based officers. What sort of chumps do The Trust think we are?

I'll respond by sticking to facts:

n It was The National Trust that was the source of the oft-quoted 'Lowering Burwell and Reach Lodes would be acceptable'. They cannot deny it, for it is in black and white.

n I asked recently where the scheme's large area of 'open water' would be if the trust is successful. The answer was, 'where the land is lowest'. And where in these Fens is the land lowest? Answer: right by Reach Lode. And then they say that their open water will not undermine the banks of The Lodes.

n The trust has also been asked recently about an expected influx of insects. I am most concerned about midges and mosquitoes. The trust was also asked how it would deal with travellers, how it would deal with hare coursing, and how much the whole scheme is now estimated to cost. Answers came there none.

Finally, for now, the trust and its supporters want to re-create The Fens as they were. So what do they do? They bring in Highland cattle from Scotland and Konik ponies from Poland. Mr Champion seems to think that I and my friends are stupid.

GEOFFREY WOOLLARD

River Bank

Nr Upware