THE peaceful summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge proves that authorities do not always make the right decisions.

Some years ago English Heritage banned people from accessing Stonehenge at the summer solstice celebrations, claiming the stones could no longer stand the wear and tear after 3,000 years of celebrations.

The battles between up to 1,000 police from many forces and festival goers became a yearly confrontation that would not have been out of place in wartorn areas of the world.

The official side claimed that they were just hippy and new age antisocial people, and the festival goers said they were subject to police brutality and a systematic victimisation by Government.

Then someone sensible in authority realised that Stonehenge had been there for at least 3,000 years and a few days every six months at the solstices were not going to make much difference to the monument. In recent times, everyone has seen sense and follow a few rules for attendance which benefits everyone.

Now people can celebrate their beliefs or just turn up for the sheer pleasure of hopefully seeing the sun rise on the longest day of the year or just marvel at one of the great icons of world antiquity unencumbered by over-officious authority.

PADDY MAXWELL, Southampton.