SIR — My husband, who is 84 but a strong walker, decided to walk from near Cloutsham Gate down to Horner, where I was to meet him, on Sunday.

Unfortunately we had had no warning at all that there was a mountain bike event taking place at Horner or he would never have chosen that route on that day.

He met the bikes at Webber's Post and as they were charging down the track he had intended to take, and he is a little less steady on his feet these days and he also felt they could skid into him as it is so stony, he diverted and ended up doing a much longer walk than intended and falling on the rough ground.

When he finally arrived he was exhausted and had blood on him. I was shocked and very worried.

I have incurable cancer and he has to care for me, so it is very important that he gets out and has his walks sometimes. It means so much to him.

I really do feel it is entirely inappropriate that a quiet, small, beautiful national park like Exmoor is used for macho, noisy, potentially dangerous events like mountain bike rallies. It is entirely unnecessary.

It should not be a place for bored townies to use as a playground for their need to dominate nature.

We should live with nature and at nature's pace, not rip up the ground on bikes.

At the very least the local people should be consulted as to their views on these increasingly common events which are spoiling the whole nature of the park.

My husband was not seriously hurt but he could have been. I am entirely dependent on him as my carer, so it would have affected me as well.

We came to live here for peace and quiet, not to see it ruined by aggressive macho young men on bikes. Why don't they try walking?

Dr Lesley Evans,