HANDS Off Our Forest campaigners grilled Huw Irranca Davies, the shadow under-secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs at Hopewell Colliery on Tuesday.

Mr Davies was undertaking a tour of the country and his first stop was in the Forest of Dean.

He explained that he understood the issues that the HOOF campaigners were raising.

"We will keep Britain's forests in public ownership," he insisted.

"The rural landscape is important asset and for its long term survival it needs to be a living and breathing entity. We need to keep the pressure up to stop it being sold off."

Campaigner Owen Adams asked about getting grassroots community representation on any governing body. Mr Davies responded: "We recognise the efforts HOOF has made to prevent back door privatisation and its work to highlight the Infrastructure Bill. I agree that some form of representation on the governing body would be a good idea."

Mr Davies added: "Forests will remain in public ownership and we will find a way to do it, in government or in opposition.

"However, we have to establish a plan on how this should be developed and we welcome the support from organisations like HOOF.

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