[Acrylic-bob]

One of the sights that I am grateful to see at the end of a long and trying day at work is the first view of Greater Hamildon, Moleside and the Coppice from the top of Tockholes. It means that I am finally home and in a way, the view puts a sort of punctuation mark on the day. From this you may suppose that I am familiar with all the elements of the view; not perhaps as familiar as I am with the back of my hand , but close enough.

It came as something of a shock the other day when, as we crested the hill, the welcome view began to unfold itself, like a favorite, if well worn carpet and revealed something that had not been there before. At the edge of the wood which lies alongside the old Burnley Road at the foot of Snipe Rake a very tall, light grey post had been erected. The next day I noticed that it had sprouted three very large arms. The following day I noticed that another pole had sprouted up and a large crane was parked next to it hoisting another set of arms onto it.

I know that I have not been as observant of the dark and sinsister doings of HBC as I might usually have been but, you would have thought that the sighting of something that would have such a detrimental effect on the visual amenity of the area would have raised at least some ripple of protest, if only for the sake of protest itself. But, alas, I can find no reference at all to this latest planning blunder anywhere. Perhaps a more observant member of the forum might be able to enlighten me?