IN reply to the letter headed Magna Carta in the Review of June 12.

You seem to be confused over the BBC series Britain's Best Drives in which this particular episode travelled through the Royal Forest of Dean.

The 'typical Forest character' you refer to was actually Mick Holder (secretary of the Commoners Association), not Henry Mills, as stated in your letter.

Henry was in fact travelling in the car with Richard Wilson to the area which was Brandrick's Green where sheep have grazed since Adam was a boy and indeed were that day grazing.

The conversation between Mick and Richard did include the charter of the Forest and I quote: 'saving common of pasture and other things in that Forest to those who were accustomed to have them previously'. So what is 'common of pasture'?

I would also like to point out that the subject of 'right of common' in the Royal Forest of Dean was 'put to sleep', as it were, by the very educated and most knowledgable man in the Forest of Dean, Dr Cyril Hart, Senior Verderer.

Dr Cyril Hart was also an active member of the sheep liaison group which was reformed in 2001.

Other members of the sheep liaison group include MAFF (the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries), animal welfare, Forest of Dean District Council, the Forestry Commission, the police and not forgetting the Commoners' Association.

You, sir, seem to have all sorts of objections to the common of pasture etc.

So I would like to publicly invite you to put your money where your mouth is and take us to court where perhaps a final ruling will be given once and for all.

Just remember: 'we da liv to near the ood to be vritened by owls'.

– Mick Holder, Secretary of the Commoners' Association.