SIR — The report in last week's Free Press that the Exmoor National Park was "disgusted and shocked" to learn that the recent fire devastation to North Hill was probably started deliberately is of course not surprising.

It was, however, noted that no admittance was made by the authority that the primary reason for the resultant costly conflagration was undoubtedly due to the fact that gorse now reaching seven to eight feet high in places has been allowed to run riot over large areas of what used to be beautiful heather-clad moorland.

Prior to the national park's administration of North Hill, this particular area was carefully maintained by the resident farming community with controlled 'swaling' where necessary, thus preserving the natural beauty of this superb coastal stretch of hill-land before unfettered gorse was allowed to take over.

Is it not time that steps were taken to revert to the good husbandry accepted by earlier generations to prevent such horrendous disfigurement to our once beautiful moorland scenery for which Minehead has always been regarded as the gateway?

Jim Bennett,

Shute Farm,

Minehead.