Mid Devon DC's chief executive has apologised for threatening to prosecute a man for racism over a letter he wrote objecting to a travellers' site. Retired dairy farmer, Bryan Lee, had objected to plans for a site near his village home in Silverton, near Exeter. The council warned him that he could be reported to the police for racism. But the council's chief executive has now apologised, saying the response was ‘over-zealous'. Chief executive, Gerald Hirsch, said: ‘I accept that the letter we wrote to Mr Lee was over-zealous. In particular, it was inappropriate for us to end the letter with reference to a possible referral to the police for investigation. We will be revising the letter we send in similar situations in the future.'
