WHAT a great idea of Cllr Chris Hogg (Gazette, July 25 'Trim back grass cutting') to re-wild the manicured verges of towns in South Lakeland.

All residents will then be able to experience the delights only those living in rural parts have to endure: scratched legs from brambles, stings on hands and legs from nettles and thistles, wet legs if you go for a walk after it’s rained. The reason for this being all the above encroaching onto the pavement and forcing the walker to move to the edge near the road.

I suggest Cllr Hogg takes a close look at the roadsides all around him. There are no wild flowers even after the 15-year 'experiment' we have undertaken not to mow the roadside verges alongside roads outside the town boundaries. Not to mention dock and ragwort seeds blowing into everyone’s gardens.

Maybe he would also like to trial not sweeping the roads and pavements around towns, so all residents can share the same experience of drinks cans and bottles that those outside the town boundaries put up with. Often on a walk from home to Oxenholme and back I can return having picked up eight or 10 empty beer and drinks cans that then go into the blue SLDC recycling bag.

I’m all for equality; let's all share the same services for our council tax payments regardless of where we live.

Derek Lomax

Crosscrake