Plastic poplars for April 1!

SIR – Brilliant April fool! But this is just the sort of ludicrous thing that Welwyn Hatfield Council would waste money on though. Paul Dunn, Poppyfields, WGC. SIR – I have just read with horror your article on replacing the Stanborough poplars with

SIR - Brilliant April fool!

But this is just the sort of ludicrous thing that Welwyn Hatfield Council would waste money on though.

Paul Dunn,

Poppyfields, WGC.

SIR - I have just read with horror your article on replacing the Stanborough poplars with the Ubifooled Plastica. These trees come into bloom every five years and the seeds burrow into the concrete and appear as full-grown trees a month later.

If cars are parked above them they can easily grow right through them in a day and once planted they cannot be eradicated. I beg you to bring this to the attention of the council officials as a matter of urgency.

A concerned member of the public.

SIR - I am so glad that Welwyn Hatfield Council has come to its senses in these days of austerity.

The plastic tree strategy for the whole borough will mean significant cost savings both in the planting and upkeep of the huge stock of trees in the district.

I assume the trees will be installed in quick-release bases enabling the council to replace each tree with a seasonal variation to mimic the progress of the year?

I would like to see the scheme go national and the savings in wood used to heat public buildings producing even more savings and be an ecological contribution to lead the world.

Bill Hodgson, via iPhone

Editor's note: Thank you for all the letters we received about our little wheeze regarding the Stanborough poplars! It seems some of our readers were actually fooled by our jest; to reassure you all there are no plans for plastic trees at Stanborough . . . yet!