DEVIZES May Day celebrations cancelled for lack of insurance to cover an ISIS terrorist-inspired attack, aided and abetted by the sun, which rises in the east and threatens to burn and dehydrate us all in a dystopian apocalyptic disaster at the first rattle of Morris man’s stick on May 1!
Has the world gone totally bonkers? This is not the England I was born into, and that which our past generations fought to preserve. We were born to be free, and sometimes there comes a need to stand up and shout it from the rooftops.
I reserve my right to wear silly clothes and dance in the streets, shaking a stick if need be.
I reserve my right to eat street food, to drink warm beer in a plastic glass, and to see my fellow country folk making fools of themselves.
I reserve my right to laugh at people who make stupid rules.
As a leader of U3A walks am I soon to be asked to provide an action plan in case my walk is infiltrated by a suicide bomber? No!
I for one refuse to be cowed by the health and safety brigade in whatever disguise they choose to appear.
If our May Day celebrations are truly cancelled I suggest that as many of us who can meet in the Market Place at midday on Monday the 17th and hold a one minute’s silence to mourn the dawn of the “jobsworth”, followed by Morris dancers, and loads of street music and dancing. 
I also propose to make an effigy of the unknown official at County Hall who produced the “rules” for the Lions, and place it in some medieval stocks which I will provide while we all have a spontaneous street party. No insurance necessary!
I suggest that we should encourage people to wear fancy dress, especially that of eastern origin, or famous English people, or any people of the world. Well, ok, in the spirit of entente cordiale we will welcome traditional Welsh or Scottish dress as well.
Anyone interested should contact me via the Gazette & Herald.
PETER FLETCHER
Kempsfield
Devizes