IN the clich riddled and ill-informed editorial, Circuit has been let down (Gazette & Herald July 28), you accuse North Wiltshire District Council of allowing itself to be swayed by a few complaints in serving a noise abatement order on the Castle Combe Circuit.

Had not the noise level at certain events on the circuit been allowed to exceed that permitted by a previous abatement order of 1992 and planning conditions, the order would not have been necessary.

A statuary nuisance had been committed, and the district council had no choice but to take the action it did.

At the appeal the magistrates very rightly agreed with the council that a noise nuisance had been committed, and upheld the order.

The fervent phrases in your editorial, "pulling the rug from under the feet of the circuit management" and "the circuit's financial future has now been threatened" are both blatantly unsupportable by fact.

The loss of this one event per annum will have little effect on Mr Strawford's "vibrant business", or on the economy of the county, but it will bring relief to the many, not "a few", who have to suffer a lost weekend due to excessive noise.

I would commend North Wiltshire District Council for the courage and determination shown by its executive and the officers of the environmental health team in this effort to uphold the quality of life of local residents.

A BISHOP

Castle Combe