I REFER to the article about allotments and the keeping of animals ie hens, geese, pigeons etc (Echo, Jan 20).

These have been kept for centuries, the majority of allotments are unfit for cultivation because of mine workings, and the council’s policy of filling the land with rubble etc when building houses.

The council do not maintain the allotments ie fences, paths etc they do not collect the rent, the secretaries do this, they just sit back and count the money.

If they persist in banning all animals they will be left with hundreds of empty allotments that could not be cultivated with a JCB.

If the plan is to sell off allotments, I refer them to the1925 allotments act which states authorities cannot sell off without ministerial consent.

I urge Durham County Council to rethink this policy re animals and within reason let us allotment holders keep them.

David Appleby, Shildon.