DURING my morning walk in the park at Newcombes Meadow with my dog today (Sunday, September 29), I was horrified to see a man in his 30's with his two young children, attempting to shake conkers from one of the branches on the remaining horse chestnut tree.

Having heard the branch crack, I approached the man and asked him if he believed he was setting his children a good example by vandalising an ancient and very beautiful tree.

The man replied that he had only been "having a bit of fun".

A friend told me later that the man had been doing the same thing in the park the previous day and that she had received verbal abuse when she had questioned his actions.

A recent issue of the Courier carried an article about dog mess, which is also a problem in Newcombes Meadow, as are the dog owners who refuse to keep their dogs on leads, even when they are challenged.

I believe that the problems are connected and that the perpetrators have the same thing in common, selfishness and the belief that the clearly stated rules do not apply to them.

As a result of this behaviour many people, especially those who are elderly, or those who have young children, are afraid to come to our lovely park.

The gardener who works in the park has often said how upsetting it is for him to find that his hard work has been destroyed by mindless behaviour.

While I had presumed that the branches that had been torn down and the litter that had been left in the park over the past months had been the work of teenagers with nothing better to do, their parents must have condoned such behaviour or, as in the case I witnessed, been responsible for it themselves.

Although I and others will continue to challenge this selfishness, the park really does need official protection.

When I last saw a couple of policemen in the town I asked them if they patrolled Newcombes Meadow. They informed me that they did not.

The last time I saw the dog warden, who is, of course, based in Tiverton, was in January, when my friend gave her a stack of "keep your dog on a lead" signs, which Eakers DIY had donated.

We are still waiting for them to be put up!

The only thing that would make a difference would be for the police and the dog warden to focus on-spot fining as many offenders as possible, as polite persuasion does not always work.

Once the word gets out that breaking the rules is costly, those who have been too afraid to bring their dogs or children to the park will have the confidence to return.

Tracy Coryton

Devonia House

Union Terrace

Crediton