Sports field disappointment

Dr Garret Macfarlane, Connel.

We were surprised and disappointed to read that the Morvern community had to go cap in hand to the Scottish Land Fund to purchase the sports field at Knock, Lochaline, from their local estate (Lochaber Times, March 31).

According to a recent book written by a member of the family that owns the estate, the present owners acquired the entire 45,000-acre property, consisting of 40-plus cottages, a large mansion house, salmon river and deer forest for less than 50p an acre.

Could they not have done the honourable thing by donating this small piece of recreational land near the village gratis without relying on the cash-strapped Scottish Government to stump up almost £140,000 pounds in the present economic crisis?

It would be a gracious act if the estate owners waived the government handout and passed the money back to the community allowing it to proceed with its modest plans and stop making beggars of us all. They would surely not begrudge a few acres to a tiny village on the periphery that has most loyally supported them for nigh on a century.