SIR – Re your article about horse riding on recreational land (T&A, January 29) and the letter from Chris Hardaker (T&A, February 5).

As a local resident, I support the Council’s decision to forbid horse riding on Birkhill. It is claimed 150 people have signed a petition to reverse the Council’s decision, I suspect many more than that support the ban.

Councillors mentioned in Mr Hardaker’s letter have been democratically elected and as such are committed to serve the interests of the majority of their constituents.

To allow the potential to gallop horses on recreational land might result in serious accidents.

Certainly the welfare of our children should take precedence over the whims of the few who already create a deterioration of other open spaces in the locality.

Our community has to suffer unpleasant consequences of stabling and horse riding in the midst of our surroundings. Many footpaths in the area become virtually impassable in bad weather because of the damage caused when horses use them.

While I can appreciate that members of our community would wish to pursue their chosen leisure time activities, I think we should take issue when it intrudes on the welfare and facilities of others.

How will Ms Hardaker react if a child is injured because of the irresponsible behaviour of a horse rider?

Steve Paley, Harper Crescent, Idle