IN response to the recent letters concerning the beach at Hoylake, I would like to relate a couple of facts that may throw some light on the subject.

Firstly, as to the effects of global warming: in the 1980s an ex-colleague of mine was able to launch his small dinghy from the slipway opposite Hoylake sailing club: this is no longer possible.

The tide does not come up that far on a regular basis, but only in storm conditions when the wind is also in the onshore direction.

Whatever the cause of this, it does indicate that it is unlikely that the sea will overtop Hoylake in the foreseeable future.

As to the growth of grass on the beach, I was out walking with one of Wirral's rangers on an organised walk in the same era.

He was at pains to point out that the silting up of the Dee and the consequent growth of grass etcetera was not a natural phenomenon but the result, over many years, of the canalisation of the Dee.

He did not go into any further detail than that but perhaps people with proper, genuine local knowledge could expand.

John Irwin, Hoylake