Europe says UK white horse illegal

A huge carving of a white horse on a wildlife site in Kent is illegal, says the European Commission. The white horse was due to be completed in June It is understood to have issued a formal notice to the UK Government for giving the go ahead to the white horse on a hillside near Folkestone. The intervention of the EC came after complaints by Friends of the Earth and the Green Party that the work was damaging one of Europe's most important wildlife sites. But the artist who designed the horse has denied claims it will adversely affect wildlife or rare orchids - and says the site will be a sanctuary for butterflies. Charles Newington, from Lympne, believes the horse has been hijacked by environmental campaigners hoping to set a legal precedent for other cases. 'Nonsense won't stop us' He said: "We are talking about effectively a garden path, 460 yards long - end of story. "Everything has been removed already - it's been dug up and each sod has been carefully transplanted to an area above the horse.

"It's due to be completed in two weeks' time and it will be - we are not going to let this kind of nonsense stop us."

Green Party councillor, Klaus Armstrong-Braun, informed of the news by letter, said: "I'm delighted that the European Commission has upheld my complaint."

Friends of the Earth claim it could lead to the case going to the European Court of Justice and the government being fined.

Folkestone White Horse - Find out More

Controversy over Uffington / Big Brother advertising

Channel 4 has hit back at claims that a logo promoting reality TV show Big Brother, painted near a chalk horse on a hillside, has angered local residents.

The "eye" logo, about 300ft wide, was painted near the WHite horse, Uffington, so it could be filmed as part of the TV show's idents.

Archaeologists wanted an inquiry into how the National Trust (NT) gave permission for the logo to be added.

The logo was painted in chalk, described as an "environmentally friendly stunt" which the NT had been paid £2,000 to allow the logo to appear. The logo was washed off a few days after the event.

The NT was reported as saying: "We thought long and hard about whether this was something we would want and decided it was an innovative way to raise funds for what we do."

Just think if the horse was properly funded then events like these would not be necessary!

Criminal Damage

After the recent damage to hillfigures by the Countryside Alliance, the peace protesters are the next to deface our ancient monuments.

The Westbury Horse was defaced by peace protesters opposed to the war with Iraq, they are probably also complaining about the looting of Iraq's national treasures, pity they are not so concerned about ours!

Countryside Alliance defaces national monuments

The Kilburn Horse suffered no lasting damage but the Uffington Horse was damaged. This action is deplorable and is condemned by this website.

The defaced Kilburn Horse and the damaged Uffington White Horse

Loss of the Badges

Of the 12 badges which are at Fovant, Sutton Mandeville and Compton Chamberlayne it has been decided that only seven of the badges will be maintained. One further that of the Royal Signal Badge is the responsibility of the 11th Signal Regiment. The YMCA, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 7th Batt. City of London Regiment and the map of Austraila are to be allowed to grass over. This decision has been made by the Fovant Badges Society due to lack of finance to upkeep these badges as they are the most in need of repair, within a few years they will be no more.

The current State of the badges

What can you do, well money will help but we will need lots of it, please contact Mark Hows and I can put you in touch with the Fovant Badges Society (Registered Charity No 1045087)

You can donate on-line here

Or send donations to me cheques payable to the Fovant Badges Society

Contact me for further details