Things are not the same on Dorset's heathland these days: not many folks live on them like they used to. No people means no domesticated grazing animals, so the gorse runs wild; choking the heather and everything else in its path.

Consequently, Dorset's Heathland needs a hand, and this support now comes in the form of "Hardy's Egdon Heath Project", which is supported by English Nature and the Lottery Foundation

Me, I'm always up for a challenge and this particular job was to prove no exception; there would be twelve groups of people, who would be passing us at twelve-minute intervals. What we needed was something brief, but pacey and energetic, and obviously taking a theme very much from the heath.

My colleagues and I did a bit of brainstorming, and good old Thomas Hardy came to the rescue, and why not? He invented the name "Egdon Heath" so he had every reason for coming to our aid in this hour of need! A couple of extracts from "the Return of the Native", his 1878 novel, was a natural choice but to spice it up a bit and to add a touch of colour and humour, we couldn't resist including sections of his very own Mummers play, "the Play of Saint George".

the Serpent Player.................................Nick Crump

Fiddle Player/Saint George..................John Holman

Old Father Christmas.....................Richard Lawson

the Turkish Knight..................MaryLou Delplanque

the Doctor....................................Raymond Sargent

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