THE bellicose former councillor Brumby in his belligerent attack upon "amateur bunny-huggers", by quoting apocryphal bar-room tales of the widespread existence of great crested newts, would support his engineering industry's over-development of York.

In fact, that particular newt is internationally rare and is also protected by EC regulations, not something easily achieved.

The national guidance for the species states that authorities should "seek to ensure all ponds known to hold viable populations are identified in local plans", which, if this had been done, the row about Metcalf Lane would not have reached this stage.

I am sure English Nature would appreciate Mr Brumby identifying all the sites he claims exist; that is if he and his pals can tell the difference between a great crested newt and a smooth newt in season.

If he can do the same for threatened water voles, which are also recorded on the Osbaldwick site, this would be doubly appreciated.

Mick Phythian,

Chair, York Natural Environment Trust, Monkton Road,

York.

...OH Mr Brumby, I was beside myself, crying huge crocodile tears over the suffering the great crested newts are inflicting on defenceless developers.

How impertinent of those delinquent newts showing up when the developer was just about to bless the residents of Osbaldwick, Temple Avenue, Fifth Avenue and Meadlands with a decade of construction work and traffic.

I am a great believer in conspiracy theories and suspect the same gang of delinquent newts deliberately show up on a number of greenfield sites without the slightest regard for the helpless developer.

This situation must not allowed to be continue, and I suggest we call upon our great Australian friend Crocodile Dundee to ensure that, with his skill in tracking down anything remotely reptilian, this gang of delinquent newts will soon be extinct.

Once this task has been achieved I suggest we erect a statue of the developer in hunting attire with his foot resting on two dead newts on each of the four entrance points to Derwenthorpe.

Oliver Starzynski,

Murton Way, York.

Updated: 12:16 Wednesday, July 14, 2004