Bruce McLellan, of Oaklands Park, Buckfastleigh, writes:

I write this open letter to ask the trustees and Buckfastleigh Ramblers Rugby committee to reconsider their recent decision to lock the gate to the Oaklands Road sports field and the ban imposed on dog walking there.

For more than a quarter of a century, the sports field has been a much used amenity, open to sports players, public recreation and dog walkers. As such it has been used, enjoyed and provided exercise to many, many thousands of townsfolk over the years.

Now access is locked, families with young children, the elderly, the disabled, youngsters playing sport and others unable to climb over the gate are effectively denied use.

I recognise the right of the trustees to make the decision to close the amenity which they own but would question the grounds for the decision, its effectiveness on deterring the few irresponsible dog walkers and the disproportionate effect it is having on so many citizens of the town.

The reason put forward on the signs by the Ramblers' committee are that their players have been 'wading their way through dog excrement' on the field. This is plainly a gross exaggeration. For the past seven years I have run three miles nearly every day over and around the field at all times of the morning and afternoon. Also twice each day I have exercised my dog there. As a result, I know nearly every blade of grass on and around the cricket and rugby fields.

I have almost never seen dog excrement on either field of play. Often I have observed badger 'poo' and sometimes fox excrement there. The ban has no effect on these 'users' and indeed, by decreasing public access may encourage the animals to wander the field even more.

If the dog walkers have been so lacking in responsibility, why has the dog bin immediately outside the ground nearly always been full to overflowing with bags? The vast majority of dog owners have been assiduous in cleaning up.

In my experience of life, any edict which results in mass punishment of the law abiding to target a few miscreants is unsound and usually counterproductive. In the past few weeks, on five occasions when running around the field, I have seen people flouting the dog walking ban and once under the eyes of the cricket groundsman. These folk are effectively already 'outside the law' and are thus more likely to offend with their cleaning up habits.

There is another way. First display a new large permanent sign at the gate, clearly showing the areas that dog walkers should not use at all and dogs which are out of control should not be allowed off the leash. Thus even the rare accident anywhere near the fields of play should be avoided. Second, I and a number of others would be prepared to act as wardens to police the rules. We are there at different times throughout the day and thus are far more effective stewards than the committee or trustees.

In this way, everyone's enjoyment of a marvellous public amenity would be restored.

Again I recognise the right of the trustees to take the action they have but, were they to temper this right with some humanity, the 'greater good' would be served.

The reason that I have used the medium of the Mid-Devon Advertiser to air this view is that I have been unable to obtain easily an address for the chairmen of either the trustees or the Ramblers' committee.MORE LETTERS ONLINE