I write regarding the disapearance of signs from the village of Lea, promoting this year's Musicalea Festival.

As a member of the organising group for this event, I would like to highlight a few points to make sure that other local event organisers do not have to suffer the same indignity and hassle in the future, at least without being properly informed.

The signs we placed on the grassy verge beside the road leading into our village were no bigger than any other wooden sign I have passed driving around the lanes of north Wiltshire this summer.

They were tastefully produced, carefully positioned, and temporary.

They were not illegal signs, they were signs illegally placed according to the Highways Act of 1980.

The county council highways department has now advised me that all signs placed on the highway are illegal this includes all local event signs such as ours, all posters stapled to telegraph poles or lamp-posts, all signs stuck to other road signs at junctions and roundabouts, and all floral tributes left on the roadside at the site of a fatal accident.

The council considers the Highways Act gives it the right to remove any of the above, without reference to the owner.

The council also believes it has the right to destroy them although I can see no reference to this within the wording of the Act, and am in the process of seeking legal advice on this matter.

If you are about to place a sign anywhere, I would encourage you to study the Highways Act of 1980 there is a copy in Chippenham Library.

If you think that there should be some distinction between blatantly commercial advetisements appearing along our main roads, and simple, temporary, home-produced signs announcing a local village event, you might like to register your views, along with ours, by writing to James Gray MP at the House of Commons.

To date, he has expressed sympathy, but suggests that there is little he can do maybe this will change if others feel the same.

Whatever the outcome, let's all be ready to make sure the rules are followed during the lead-up to the next council or General Election.

Dr Christianne E Glossop

Lea

near Malmesbury