It's great to hear that a new method of keeping the Malvern gas lamps working is being introduced, but it was very dispiriting to be told that Richard Chapman, the town clerk, and Cllr Paul Tuthill wanted to cut down a mature cedar to enable one of the lamps to be seen more clearly. Fortunately Malvern Hills District Council has imposed a tree protection order to prevent this, but I find it hard to understand the mentality of anyone who would think a lamppost should take precedence over a cedar tree.

We should extend the principle of conservation of Malvern's Victorian heritage by planting more cedars and other specimen trees of that period such as the Chilean pine, especially as we have reached a stage where many of the original trees are being lost.

For example, a large cedar tree along the Worcester Road has recently died, leaving a denuded townscape.

We need to save Malvern from the town clerk and Cllr Paul Tuthill and start a campaign to replace all those trees which have been lost.

Bridget Macdonald

Malvern