A tongue-in-cheek letter sent by an Oxford man has been widely shared on social media, after the story of a row over a tree caught his attention.

Richard Frodin, from Headington, wrote the letter to the weekly newspaper after it published a story about Robert Davies, of Mill Lane, objecting to the felling of a willow tree.

The original story, published June 27, detailed how plans submitted by Mr Davies’ neighbour would see the tree chopped down so the receding riverbank near both their homes could be reinstated.

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Mr Davies’ told the Henley Town Council’s planning committee: “Take the tree away and as people come on to the bridge they can see into our dressing room, bedroom and bathroom.

“My wife looks pretty with her clothes on, less so without. The tree hides it, even in winter as it has so many cross branches. You can also see, if you take the tree out, the whole of our front garden.”

Following the article, Mr Frodin weighed in on the matter with an hilarious letter to The Henley Standard.

The letter, titled Alternative view…, reads: “I write to disagree most strongly with Robert Davies regarding the tree in Mill Lane.

“While he’s correct about the tree (and I hope it can be saved), having spent an afternoon in Henley studying the matter in some detail, it’s clear his wife looks absolutely beautiful with no clothes on!”

The letter was published and, subsequently, reshared by satirical Facebook page Angry People in Local Newspapers.

The page celebrates ‘angry people posing ridiculously in their local newspapers’ as well as ‘dull and weird local news’.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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