A COUPLE of Sundays ago, in the early afternoon, a passing vehicle managed to offload a massive amount of rubbish on the verges of the country road between Odstock and Homington. A disgraceful act of vandalism which we witness repeatedly on our roads – but this incident was exceptional.

The local community has to be grateful to a local resident and his wife for spending some five hours a few days later, picking up a car load of litter and depositing it at the recycling centre. Not a pleasant task, but one that showed community spirit at its best. We live in one of the most desirable parts of the UK but these mindless acts of despoiling the countryside do defy reasoning. My wife and I always carry plastic bags when out walking and when, a few days later, on a similar litter-collecting mission, we met the gentleman concerned and had the opportunity of thanking him.

Julian Johnson

Wiltshire Councillor (Downton & Ebble Valley Division)

Nunton