The ancient and huge beeches on our land (Chalice Hill) have been coming down over the last 10 years from old age and disease — sad, as they are an important feature of the Glastonbury landscape.

During the Christmas holiday it was difficult to contact anyone who might be responsible for the safety of this path: Mendip council has not renewed its fee for out-of-hours assistance so there is none. Patricia and I were away, so the Goolden family, our neighbours, voluntarily got on with the job. Please acknowledge their selfless hard work!

A southerly gale blew this beech northwards so that it fell across the path. All the previous ones fell south down the hill. We are monitoring the trees still standing for any further damage.

The whole lot will go in due course, and we would value opinion about their replacement. Forty years ago my father and I planted sweet chestnuts at the bottom of the hill under the umbrella of the beeches, and an oak farther up, which squirrels are destroying. Over the four decades we have planted about 1,000 trees in and around Chalice Hill.