I dream of the days that are gone.

When the Somerset Rivers Board or Catchment Board ruled the roost.

When the Walking Pelter and Mr Cox of Congresbury, inspected the rivers to make certain that riparian owners had done their keeching.

When the district council had to ensure that their river sections were trimmed and weeds were cleared.

When anyone guilty of not doing the maintenance on their sections of rivers or streams were prosecuted for allowing 

them to be restricted for the free flow of water.

Before the Environment Agency took over and said "No No we must not slub out excess mud accumulations" and allowed rivers to get befouled.

When the sight of a river blocked by weed growth was the exception and not the rule.

When the Rivers Board would pounce on wrongdoers and get them fined for failing to dredge the section of river running through their fields, or through land alongside which they owned properties.

When the Richards brothers of Yatton ran their scythe blades across the river bed and cut back all the weeds growing that stopped free flow of the water.

Oh how I dream and how useless is it for me to dream because no-one will bother to take action.