Sir –The Second Lease Club, a walking and social group for the over-50s based in Witney wanted to do something to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
We had some spare cash in the coffers and it was decided we should pay for some new gates to be installed on local footpaths. We were aided in this decision by the Oxfordshire footpaths officers.
Two gates were installed by the Cotswold Wardens on footpaths near Hailey, just before the Jubilee weekend in June.
We had a couple of inscribed plaques made for the gates. Local people who used the footpaths regularly said how pleased they were with the gates.
I have just led a walk to show some of the club members where the gates were. To our astonishment, the plaques had been carefully removed, probably unscrewed.
We are all disappointed that thieves or vandals have had the audacity to remove those plaques.
They were made of brass. Is the current lack of metal so severe that it is worth taking two 4in by 3in plaques?
Chris Bamford, Chairman, Second Lease Witney
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