From the Radstock mayor, Rupert Bevan, who writes:

What with the imminent threat of total stasis wrought by exposure to COVID-19, people will need places to go far from the madding crowd to exercise and stave off infection.

The solution is not far away thanks to the perspicacity of one or two local councillors. They bid successfully at an auction last summer for nearly 20 acres of historic coal batch. Accessed from nearby Haydon Que Club, this land, originally a spoil heap from Kilmersdon Colliery, supports a wide range of fauna and flora, and-what joy!- a large flat area on top which could eventually be used for alfresco community events.

There are beautiful woods along the northern border and the western escarpment leads you down to the well-trodden paths each side of the Snails Brook. When the ground is dry and the dirt track racers are back at school, you can enjoy a very pleasant walk from Haydon to St Nicholas Church, Radstock.

Inevitably a fair amount of work will need to be carried out on the site: fencing, installation of kissing gates and path delineation. At some point inherent problems of the Snails Brook such as blockages, tree work, and unbridled water energy which impacts on the Railway land development downstream, will have to be addressed.

There is woodland at the southern end of the brook in an area that seems to be permanently wet. I can imagine that if beavers were introduced, their dam building would do much to reduce seasonal flooding- and encourage wildlife. Further along there is the historic Miner's Pool and maintenance of this facility should be included.

Much work needs to be done to convert the area into a nature reserve and Radstock Council will be appealing for volunteers to help bring this about. Does anybody have ideas for a suitable name for the site?