I totally agree with Bea Bradley's anger at the mowing of the verges in the county (Oxford Mail, June 6). Up comes the cow parsley, along come the trashing machines.

Having favoured us with verges covered with brown grass cuttings for a while, the council next strikes as the poppies, campion, dog daisies and wild geranium show their lovely faces.

This puerile, bureaucratic and highly expensive verge cutting is now out of control.

How much does this annual desecration cost us?

I am utterly disgusted that South Oxfordshire District Council is so boneheadedly stupid that all considerations of wildlife habitat preservation, landscape preservation

and sheer aesthetic considerations mean nothing.

It seems to have formed an unholy alliance with the farmers to crush into non-existence all the things that make life worth living -- the beauty of spring and summer wildflowers, the butterflies and bees, the birds and the mammals with whom we share our environment.

When I moved to Oxfordshire 17 years ago, I was entranced by the sight of the scarlet verges as the poppies were in bloom.

Instead, I now gaze in dismay at torn and ravaged eyesores.

PENNY LITTLE

Back Way, Great Haseley