What a Christmas present! My regular walks along Batson Creek are sunny and cheerful again at last.

I have lived in Salcombe since early 1963 and over the past few years the creek has been getting ever more gloomy, as a vast bed of very dreary giant reeds appeared and this has grown deeper and taller each year.

At least they have stopped my sneaking in a mid-walk rest on the memorial seats on Batson Green – no more lovely views down the creek, just a depressingly solid curtain of very tall reeds, far too upsetting to sit and look at. But suddenly some kind person has cut the reeds down.

I do not know how long they will stay cut or even if this is a way of making them grow even stronger next year, but can I give a big thank you through to whichever kind soul has given some bit of happiness to all of us creek walkers, at least over Christmas.

Terence Roy Andrew

St Dunstans Road Salcombe