Madam,

I was driving up Talyllyn Pass at 8.20am on Wednesday, 10 February, on a morning when the sun shone at last! But my elation was soon quashed when I saw the scramble of voyeurs heading up the steep slopes on both sides to be close to the jet bombers which were about to blitz the valley. Obviously, the day’s heed-less onslaught was about to begin. Who are these people? They’ve parked their cars in the layby, so obviously they’ve travelled some distance. They’re obviously hale and hearty to be able to scale the heights. Whatever their status they seem to be able to co-ordinate their days to match the sorties of these enemies of peace. The pollution, noise and turbulence emitting from these low-flying aircraft (NATO F16s in particular) is well documented across the media and their frequency and their repetitive use of this area has imposed a new name on the map, namely the “Mach Loop”. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ordnance Survey inserted it into their next map of Meirionnydd, such is the disregard and disrespect in which our dear county is held by the authorities. The truth of this is upheld by the fact that all local submissions and protests have been ignored through the years – and now we understand that things are to get even worse. Ten more jets, newly bought from America, are to be based at Valley in Anglesey for “training purposes”! And where are they going to carry out their exercises? In the steep-sided valleys of Snowdonia where, guess what, people actually live. As long as this situation continues why should we, the long-suffering inhabitants of these victimised areas, pay rates or bother to vote?

Yours etc

Marian Rees

Tal-y-llyn

Tywyn.