Mr Sedgwick raises some important points about fracking (hydraulic fracturing) in his letter last week.

Those of us who campaign against fracking do not profess to speak for the people of Wiltshire, but for the growing number of people concerned about this inherently unstable technique of extracting shale gas from deep underground.

He may be interested to learn that, according to the latest YouGov poll, the number of those in favour of fracking has now dropped to below 50 per cent.

Mr Sedgwick should recognise that opposition is not ignorant. Campaigners I know are well read on the subject. For example, I have read most of the reports produced by the UK government, as well as many by the US and Australian governments. I’ve read many Select Committee documents, reports from the industry itself, and commentary from leading scientists and geologists on both sides of the argument. At a time when we should be decarbonising our energy sector as a matter of some urgency, I feel that investing in an industry which makes us bound to yet more fossil fuels far into the future is a risk we cannot afford to take.

The industry itself has said that it expects fracking in the UK to have little impact on prices. It is unlikely to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It risks our water courses and will scar our landscape. One has to ask – what is the point?

Iona Hassan, Cossor Road, Pewsey.