Straight Talking Swindon mayor Ray Fisher Picture Ref: 77556-62THE new Mayor of Swindon says it is time to stand up to the bullies who hurl insults at the town.

Ray Fisher says Swindon has been the butt of jokes for too long and following the latest criticism it is time to say enough is enough.

"It feels like the school bully calling you names and we want to face up to the issue and confront the bullies," he said.

"It's Swindon bashing, that's what I call it."

Mr Fisher, who moved here from London 35 years ago and has four children who have grown up in the town, is furious with the designer Wayne Hemingway.

As revealed in yesterday's Adver the former Big Breakfast star described some of the new housing estates of Swindon as "worse than prisons" and "jaw droppingly bad".

Mr Fisher says he is fed up with this sort of thing and has issued Mr Hemingway an invitation to the town to see what it is really like.

It follows programmes like Red Dwarf and the Office which have poked fun at Swindon.

Mr Fisher said: "I don't like this bullying. There are people who live in those houses who are happy and it's just nasty to comment in that way. As far as I'm concerned Swindonians, almost without exception, love the place the live in.

"What I would say to Wayne Hemingway is that the mayor and the council would be happy to receive him. If he feels he can make a positive contribution to our plans we would very much welcome him to Swindon and we would take his views on board.

"If you have got ideas come and tell us. Don't just call us names and run away.

"It's no good just to make a jibe and then run off thinking 'Aren't I clever, I can insult Swindon'. Come and contribute."

Mr Fisher also says he was recently put off a book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon, set in Swindon after it insulted the town.

"From that point on I knew it was fiction," he said.

"Because I realised that anyone who actually lived in Swindon would not have criticised it like that. I can't

believe anyone who lived here would have negative views about the place.

"I love Swindon and I think it's a phenomenal place to be and to live."

Gareth Bethell