Follow the Sustrans Cycle path, past the Science Park and Barton Meadows, and it eventually goes past some old gravel lakes. Some have already been filled in with fly ash from Didcot Power Station. But two at the far end, near where the Cycle Path emerges in Thrupp Lane(pictured here), are still intact as thriving lakes.

Since these two lakes are now about forty years old and fairly mature habitats they are important to Wildlife.

There is a lot of local anger that the largest will soon be fenced off, and pumped full of sterile fly ash. A long campaign and a huge petition has failed to stop RWE NPower. Oxfordshire County Council has allowed the planning application.

These pictures are of Thrupp Lake. I was down there this morning. There were flocks of long tailed tits. There were also many water birds.

In the same week as allowing the filling with fly-ash, the County designated the Lakes a County Wildlife area – a day or two too late to effect their planning colleagues.

Notices like this, are there, presumably to warn RWE NPower .

Yesterday the Save Radley Lakes campaign held an autumn fair in the Guildhall to raise money to help pay legal bills.