IT LOOKS to me as though the people who are advocating the removal of various historical statutes have bitten off more they can chew, having not realised the sheer size of task that they have set themselves.

Take just one example, that of Horatio Nelson.

Even if the Government gave way, following relentless campaigning by tens of thousands of protesters, and lowered his Trafalgar Square monument to the ground, that would not be the end of the matter.

Far from it, in fact, as the Admiral’s name would still be on display here, there and everywhere.

Those wishing to erase all signs of him will have to campaign to get Nelson in Lancashire, Nelson in Caerphilly, Fort Nelson in Hampshire, Nelson Place West in Bath and Nelson Gardens in Monmouthshire all renamed and, even then, that will not be enough.

Mount Nelson, Nelson Head, Nelson Island and the Lord Nelson Hotel in Canada will all need their attention before they cross over the border into the USA and set about re-titling the communities of Nelson in New Hampshire and Nelson in New York.

If, after all that lot, they are still determined to root out every single place that proclaims his name they will need to pay visits to, and take action, in Nelson in New Zealand, Nelson’s Island in Egypt and Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.

Hopefully, by the time they get to that point, they will be so thoroughly cheesed off with the whole, inane idea and will have turned their minds to something less divisive and more constructive.

Eric Waters Lancing