OPINIONS clearly differ about the non trimming of grass verges.

Many of us are equally critical of council authorities which make a practice of wantonly cropping and trimming wayside verges and waste spaces only in the interest of creating a lawn-like and domestic neatness for the eye of the beholder.

This is in defiance of nature’s plan and without a thought for the effect on our ever declining floral inhabitants and grasses, and the dependent population of butterflies, birds and bees, with the myriads of insects which are fostered.

Your photograph of ‘Long grass: A roadside verge’ is evidence of the abundant flora which is destroyed by cropping such growth.

The same matter was addressed in ‘The Independent on Sunday’ on June 2, and two photographs were shown of a stretch of Dorset roadside before and after being trimmed, with the subsequent huge loss sustained.

Must we adopt the attitude taken in North Korea where the population is directed at intervals to grab up with sticks the weeds growing between the cracks on the paving stones, to preserve total neatness and control?

D LANGFORD, Northbrook Road, Swanage