PINE Road has indeed had something of a mini-makeover (Borough Area News) in the last few years, but it is a bit early for the council’s self congratulation. Much still needs to be done.

Only so much can be achieved in the maximum two morning sessions in a year our happy band of volunteers apply to the task, admittedly with council collaboration.

Of course, as with all the cemeteries that gains are seriously neglected by Health & Safety edict that all headstones that can be rocked, should be laid flat rather than reinstated and many have been vandalised in this manner.

Some graves are still totally overgrown, some still accommodate trees, most enclose grass and weeds of dubious acceptability.

Ironically two graves, quite close to each other have been substantially restored; the most recent being one in the name of George Witham Coultas, said to have been a missionary of local renown and indeed a local road is named after him.

ROBERT A CLARKE, Eastleigh.