COUNCIL workmen started work on the vandalised lights in Beech Wood, Haughton, today. By tonight the cycle route and footpath will be lit up unless any further repairs are needed. Users will then be able to see the wood in the dark. It is hoped that this will lead to more access and better use of the wood, through linking Barmpton Lane to the Whinfield Road, via the estates, in any 24-hour period. If the lights are a success, the council may extend their use to other areas in the town.

Special designed sleeves have been fitted over the top of the posts, to prevent damage to the internal structure of the lamps. Wires have been pulled out previously and the bulbs smashed. Glass has been scattered on the ground, putting all who use the wood at risk. Recently, great efforts have been made to clean up on a voluntary basis, with local people coming out in force to collect discarded rubbish.

Carol Clerk, out walking her dog, said: “It’s brilliant that the lights are finally going up. I hope that they will be vandal proof. The last time we only had them on for a couple of days and then they were trashed. We can walk through the wood later at night now.”

Beverly Hutchinson, spokesperson for Whinfield Residents Association and Friends of Beech Wood said: “We are very happy about the lights. We have wanted them on for a long time. We have waited for the lights to be installed since they were last vandalised. The good thing about them is that these were designed as low-level lights, so that they don’t impact on the wildlife living here. It’s a step forward to having more people use the area.”

Establishing strong community networks helps to bring some sense of responsibility for the environment and how it is used. Beech Wood is more than a useful resource for teaching, play, activities or walking the dog. It has a history in itself, with beautiful trees, shrubs and plants growing and living along with other creatures. These exist quite apart from any intervention, which may encroach on their territory.