A BIZARRE action group targeting homeowners with pampas grass in their gardens around Thelwall appears to be lying low, after their activities sparked a huge media frenzy.

As reported in the Warrington GUARDIAN two weeks ago, the self-styled 'eco-terrorists' calling themselves the 'Anti Pampas League', had started a sinister letter writing campaign warning owners of the decorative bushes that their plants were in danger.

A letter received by the GUARDIAN offices explained that the APL was targeting 10 homes in the village. Letters were received at several addresses too, and on one occasion a second letter arrived, with cuttings off their plant included.

Last week the national press got wind of the story from our article, and news reports appeared on both the BBC and ITV. These were followed by an article in the Independent on Sunday this weekend, and on Monday the GUARDIAN offices were contacted by Channel 4 show The Big Breakfast, which expressed an interest in doing a live broadcast from Thelwall.

But despite the massive publicity they were receiving, members of the APL were lying low this week.

Sgt Mike Jones of Stockton Heath police said: "Since the article in the GUARDIAN, we haven't had any contact from either the APL or the people they appeared to be targeting.

"The first reaction to this is it was someone having a bit of a joke, but some people have been very upset by it. One woman lives by herself and was very distressed when she received the letter."

In our edition on September 10 we reported how a family in Culcheth had become the victims of a hate mail campaign making untrue allegations that they took part in wife-swapping parties, and Sgt Jones said that he was treating the APL letters as being just as serious.

"The problem with this is it is obvious the person involved has walked past these houses and seen that there is pampas grass growing in the garden - they aren't just random addresses from the phone book," he added.

"This tends to suggest that the letter writer was someone living in Thelwall. If it dies a natural death that will be it as far as we are concerned. But we will continue to treat it seriously if it carries on."

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