I AGREE with the contents of the letter from Edna Wade (June 16) pointing out that donkeys have been here in the New Forest for as long as most of us can remember.

I strongly suspect they have always been part of the open countryside. It also annoys me when people write about the horses that roam the NewForest when they are PONIES. It is also rather strange when letters appear, saying we locals should not be allowed to be elected on to the National Park Authority panel, and yet we are the ones who look after the Forest and often pay the highest council tax.

For example, I do not have mains drainage, no street lighting (thankfully), no bus service. We do have pot holes still in need of repair. There has been no sign post at the end of my road for well over 50 years.

I think some people have no idea how busy the New Forest can get.

We locals see this each and very single day.

The last thing we want are ‘townies’ telling us how to run our New Forest. I was born here at the house I still live in, my family have a connection to the Forest dating back centuries and I am not alone.

Even the MPs here are not originally local nor are most of the councillors.

And before anyone points out that I could stand in the elections, I have done so many times, and because of the influx of second home owners and newcomers, they prefer to vote, if at all, along party lines. As I am not a Conservative, that makes it difficult.

RICHARD GRANT, Burley.