Following the Cornish Times story about vandalism and damage to the Brunel statue in Saltash (24.07.09), I want to draw attention to another disturbing trend.
On Sunday morning, walking my dog in Latchbrook Valley, I spent 20 minutes clearing 37 beer cans, a broken spirits bottle and plastic bottles left in a ten metre radius around an isolated bench (which had also been daubed blue) – the remains of a Saturday night party.
How do I know how many cans? I also picked up packaging for four ten packs of beer (the other three cans are probably in the stream).
It follows numerous other incidents at beauty spots like Churchtown Farm and by the skate park at Saltmills, where it seems a badge of honour not to use litter bins.
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I'm no killjoy, but I don't understand the mentality that lugs heavy packs of booze to remote beauty spots, but can't be bothered to pick up the relatively light litter.
Why can't parents and our secondary school teach some respect for our countryside, and is this a common phenomenon in other towns?
Joe Ellison
Saltash