Sir, - I was pleased that my letter regarding the planting on White Mare roundabout at the end of Long Street, Thirsk ("Poor show", D&S Nov 21) prompted a response from Thirsk Town Council.

The council said that I should get my facts right before writing derogatory letters to the Press.

Well the facts speak for themselves and the evidence is there for all council tax payers to see.

The "minimalist look" roundabout planted with pansies is pathetic. That is difficult to argue with ... just look at it. Compare the pictures(below) of the Thirsk roundabout with one of Northallerton's roundabouts

In terms of the established planting that Yorkshire Water was obliged to dig up, I would be pleased to know the details of the declared proposal to re-plant with low maintenance shrubs in the New Year, and I wonder why the utility company concerned was not charged by the council with the responsibility to "make good" the roundabout.

I never brought into question the much-valued contribution that the council makes annually to the Thirsk in Bloom community group (as does the ladies section of the Chamber of Trade and the local businesses who participate in the hanging basket scheme and other supporters and sponsors)

But in respect of the planting of the White Mare roundabout the council, in my opinion, could have and certainly should have done a proper job of the planting and given that they by my reckoning they have not, then will they explain to the people of Thirsk the reasoning for approving such a miserly budget and creating such a visually pathetic show

TONY JORDAN

St James Green,

Thirsk.

Quiet terror

Sir, - In his Countryman's Diary note about stoats (D&S, Nov 28), Nicholas Rhea mentioned hearing of rabbits being literally frozen in terror at the sight of a stoat.

As far as back as the Thirties, walking across fields where rabbits were in abundance, that was almost a daily occurrence during the summer.

Some elders were of the opinion that the stoat sprayed its victims with a substance that paralysed them but I could never go along with that theory as one would quite often see a rabbit sat squealing too fearful to move and yet the stoat could still be most of 20 yards away.

On a quiet sunny morning I've watched families of both stoats and weasels in full play but never witnessed then hunting as a pack.

The stoat's lighter colour for winter was generally associated with the autumn moult. But I think this was more dramatic in the higher areas with the more severe weather and food being more scarce.

DOUGLAS PUNCHARD

Keldholme,

Kirkbymoorside.