I NOTICED a story on your website last week about drivers being warned to take extra care when driving in rural areas at this time of year.

The issue, according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists is that at harvest time, there is a potential for farm machinery to leave a lot of mud on the roads, causing potential driving hazards.

This isn’t good enough, I’m afraid.

I understand that while the work is actually taking place, some mud may be unavoidable and in this instance, it’s the equivalent of road works taking place.

It’s up to the farmer to make sure proper warning signs are put in place, not some half-hearted, hand written version.

But once the work has been completed, it is the legal responsibility of anyone who makes a mess on the road to clean it up.

This applies farmers just as it does to anyone else.

My advice is to listen to what the Institute of Advanced Motorists says but to also contact the police.

Significant amounts of mud left on the road is an offence, there’s no two ways about it.

DAVID MARKHAM Weaverham