HAVING witnessed the actions of Redditch council blocking off the town centre by parking large vehicles across the roads to prevent Tom Wilson’s funfair from gaining entry to the town centre to set up his equipment and open his funfair, I must say how disgusted I am.

The way the council is behaving towards Mr Wilson and his family is unforgivable.

The Wilsons and their extended family have been part of Redditch for many generations.

They are a family of bona fide travelling showmen who are governed by the showman’s guild, an organisation that takes its responsibilities very seriously.

They are not, as some people seem to think, a bunch of travelling itinerants, they are part of Redditch and part of our heritage.

Over the generations they have given many thousands of pounds to Redditch charities.

During power cuts in past years Mr Wilson senior would loan his generators to local factories to help keep them running.

The council have used the cover-all excuse of health and safety as a reason for preventing the fair, and they block entry to the town so not even an ambulance could get in to attend to an emergency.

I am sure if it were a contractor or a market trader blocking a road they would be issued with a parking fine.

Many towns in the Midlands and all over the country in fact have street fairs so why can’t we have one in Redditch as we did for many years past.

So come on Redditch council we want our own funfair back in the town where it belongs and stop being a bunch of killjoys.

Terence P Richards Redditch