At a sitting of the district court, the local authority prosecuted a Weymouth man and his father for rescuing wild animals and providing them with shelter, under a breach of planning rules.

They were hoping to see maximum fines for this, plus all court costs.

The two men have saved the lives of many birds of prey, a fawn and dozens of other wild animals, nursed them back to health and set them free, all at their own expense and on their own land.

Most people would get some sort of public recognition for such acts, yet here our council tax has been spent on prosecuting them for a lack of planning permission.

Whilst I fully understand the need for planning regulations and accept that they have broken the rules, how can the prosecution of these two people be in the interest of the local community, when we as a community cannot prevent hundreds of houses being built on town greens and open spaces, no matter how much we object?

Surely there is something wrong with a planning system which lends it’s time to preventing such positive work by local people?

Mark Burden, Hillbourne Road, Weymouth