IN reply to a letter from Mr Hayes concerning local canals. Mr. Hayes has every right to be disappointed with the state of our canals. We, at Taunton Angling Association have tried so many times to get this problem sorted out. After numerous phone calls to British Waterways about the overgrown banks the problem still continues with, grass three foot high, stinging nettles, and other bank foliage and weed right across the water. It was very lucky that Mr. Kerr was rescued by a canoeist on the River Tone the same week the letter was published in the Gazette, if he had fallen in the Taunton stretch of the canal he might not have been so lucky.

Time and time again we have said that if someone should fall in the water it could lead to a fatality, and time and time again our phone calls are ignored. Maybe a fatality will be what it takes to make the British Waterways take notice.

Fishermen pay fees to fish the water and on a regular basis have to clear a swim to be able to fish while walkers and cyclists have a nice clear path made for them for free. We were informed some months ago that the work could not currently be carried out as the machine used had been stolen, since this we have been unable to get in contact with anybody to find out what is going on.

I do not believe that this can still be the case but i am unable to make any progress as i cannot contact anyone. I will continue to try to resolve this issue and will keep trying to make contact. We do undertake some work ourselves, on the canal, but have limited resources and volunteers. I will keep you posted on any progress I make.

ALAN BERRY Head bailiff for Taunton Angling Association