Mink joins the grey squirrel as two pests which should be eradicated

From: Keith Whitfield, Boroughbridge Road, York.

Sheila Duke is quite correct about mink (Letters 5 March). They are, indeed, vicious little pests and the Government should be leading a nationwide campaign to eradicate them, along with that other foreign pest, the grey squirrel, as they both prey on our national wildlife.

Mink especially can be very aggressive and dangerous and have been known to attack small dogs being walked by their owners. They will certainly decimate young waterfowl without any fear of humans.

I recall fishing from an artificial premonitory on the river Dee some years ago, when I spotted a movement some 30 yards away among the stones shoring up the bankside. It was a mink which had also seen me and, nevertheless, gradually moved along the stones until it was within a few feet away.

I can remember well watching it approach and being somewhat relieved that I was wearing chest waders.

It was close enough for me to tap it on the head with my 15ft rod, whereupon it finally disappeared into the rocks.

From: Charlie Heap, Loand House, Wrelton, Pickering.

The photograph of the otter you used last week was not of our native British otter (Lutra lutra) but of the Asian short-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea).

The Asian otter is quite common in captivity in the UK, but is not found in the wild. It is also about a third the size of our native otter.

From: Michael Ellison, Knapping Hill,Harrogate.

Ann Taylor (Country Week 26 Feb) commented about dog owners and cyclists using the paths around Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs.

As regular visitors (12 times in the first two months of this year) my wife and I agree that few owners keep their dogs on a short leash, but the vast majority running loose are obedient to commands.

Regarding cyclists, we have encountered only a handful. There is a designated circular route for push/wheelchairs around Swinsty and would suggest that the majority of tracks can be attributed to these chairs.

I could be negative and complain about discarded sweet wrappers and drink cans – I fail to comprehend the necessity to drink alcohol while walking. However, as I lived at Norwood (overlooking the reservoirs) during my childhood, I enjoy returning to the valley of my birth.

During our ambles around Swinsty, we usually meet people who also are enjoying the freedom to walk in an area that has been referred to as ‘The Yorkshire Lake District’ or ‘Little Switzerland’.

The usual conversations are about where we have travelled from and how pleasant and beautiful that area of Yorkshire is, without mentioning any minor irritations we have encountered.

From: Mrs J Popley High Legh, Knutsford, Cheshire.

I read the article on Driffield last week – if councils really want to help these towns, they should make parking free on market days.

Why do people use out-of-town shopping? Easy parking. Free parking.

Give our market towns a chance.