Cartoon by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com

• I WOULD be grateful if I could use your pages to issue an urgent appeal on behalf of the City of London Corporation, which is suffering an acute financial crisis.

Its many and onerous responsibilities cover the ponds on Hampstead Heath, and it can no longer afford to allow free swimming, (Confirmed: Compulsory charges WILL be introduced at Hampstead Heath swimming ponds, March 12).

This is mainly because they are very big holes and constantly need to be refilled, mainly late into the night when no one’s watching.

The grass around them also needs to be cut, which is enormously expensive. The exorbitant costs of maintaining the wetness of the water should also be taken into account.

The City’s expenditure apparently comes from its endowment fund which, according to Wikipedia, stood at a miserable £2.3billion in 2016.

So it’s clear: unless the public stumps up and pays, the city may have to stop hiring the swans and ducks, who for the time being, are to be allowed to carry on swimming for free, and are there for decorative purposes only.

So stump up or the birds get it.

KEN JONES
Somers Town