OK spring seems to have arrived eventually and its now time to sit out in one's garden on a nice sunny day and to enjoy a bit of well earned privacy.

Oh no, not if you live on the Easternmost side of the Malvern Hills it isn't.

You soon will be having a bunch of hang gliders and para gliders swooping at extremely low levels in circles, ogling both you and your property. From the ground they look a sinister bunch, craning their necks downwards to ensure they don't miss anything that you might be doing. One could be excused for thinking they might be casing the joint for some later crime. The past-time obviously attracts who like to take a risk or two. They most certainly are not bothered in any way by gesticulation or remonstration, I've tried it, they simply carry on regardless.

This is just not an appropriate hobby to be enjoyed over a suburban environment, just think of the complaints that Boris Johnson would get if they decided to launch themselves from the Post Office Tower. There are hundreds of these flyers these days, them and their hangers-on, and they do not just confine their so-called flights to weekends, but are around any day when conditions suit them. They really are law to themselves, as whilst there are regulations, no-one appears to police them.

I wonder how they would react if the residents here joined together, found out their addresses, took ladders and looked over their fences en-masse, every sunny day. They would probably get quite upset, perhaps even call the police. Who could blame them?

But not us we are expected to put up with it.

Malvern Hills District Council really must take action to ban the carrying on of this sport over a residential area, as it is getting totally out of control. There have got to be more rural, less populated spots they could be moved to. I know it might not be quite as much fun peering down at a load of sheep, but after all it's the flying they are up there for, or is it?

I do hope that the Council are not waiting for one of them to have a serious accident, (which I assure you is entirely on the cards), before they do anything. Only this afternoon, a young female apprentice flyer apologised profusely, but only when challenged, having almost collided with a tree, saying her landing spot a few yards from our back fence, was due to her bad flying.

If MHDC are unable or unwilling to take action, then the residents affected should demand a substantial Council Tax reduction, backdated at least 12 months, to compensate for the very serious loss of amenity and privacy to our dwellings.

So if you are one of those who feels the same way, then write to MHDC to demand they take action.

If not and you are inclined to be sympathetic to people, who care less about others in pursuit of their selfish pleasures, then give a thought to the adverse effect it will have on the value of your property, when you come to sell it. Imagine showing some interested purchasers around, taking them into your back garden and being confronted by a be-goggled, poor imitation of a would-be Bloody Red Baron staring down at them from 15 feet above, or worse still landing on top of them. Don't forget what is now manifesting itself as a regular harassment can easily metamorphosise into a blight on your property.

Or could it be that the hang-gliding club organisers will take a responsible position and move elsewhere voluntarily. I should like to think so but bitter experience suggests this would be too much to expect.

GARY SMITH, Wells Road, Malvern Wells.