It was a cold, grey Sunday in Darlo' much like any other, but a few hardy NERAG folk and a couple of DWT people turned out to massacre some innocent pond side trees.
Dean Hewitt and Ian Bond gave a potted history of the site and the ponds which at first glance seemed an unlikely GCN breeding site. After being forced at lopper point to wear blue hard hats and rigid canvas gloves, with gauntlets that would have put Darth Vaders to shame, we set to and began demolishing as many pond side trees and shrubs as we could find.
Several dog walkers passed by with bemused expressions on their dogs, and a man with a large gun had us all smiling and being very polite.
Sue allowed us a very brief refreshment break, after several hours of graft and toil, before horse whipping us back to work. She seemed to spend a lot of her time looking for a kingfisher which kept hanging around.
After many blades were blunted and loppers were lobbed in dog poo, not a tree remained standing that wasnt extremely nervous. We succeeded in felling many a fine willow into the ponds, where I am reliably informed they will take root thus giving us a chance to go and do it all again very soon.
But could more of you than just 7 turn up next time please.
Thanks go to Sue Charlton for organising, and taking charge with an iron hand.
Dean Hewitt for being tall.
Ian Bond for lasting almost two hours.
Rachel Jackson for not talking too much.
Amy Nogowczyk for being at the end of the line when the vowels were handed out.
Julia ? from DWT for not caring what she looked like in that hat.
A chap called Phil who managed the site.
And last, and by all means least, me for remaining ginger.
Photographs to follow.
