Leyton: Metric 'martyr' Tony Bennett's group Active Resistance to Metrication (ARM) has won a three-year battle to persuade the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority to replace metric footpath signs with signs in miles and yards.

Mr Bennett, 54, of Chippingfield, Harlow, was arrested in March after it was claimed he had vandalised a number of signs by putting up plates showing the distance in imperial measurements.

However, he was contacted by the police last Wednesday and told that Lee Valley Park officials had signed a statement of retraction.

Mr Bennett said: "It's a shame Lee Valley Park had to waste police time and get me to spend ten hours in police cells before admitting their mistake.

"But better late than never I suppose.

"Lee Valley has given me a rotten time, when I was right all along.

"It's not very nice to spend time in the cells and be investigated, but when victory comes it is particularly sweet.

"They were one of the worst offenders in the country and we reckon there were 140 metric signs in the park.

"They were so obstinate about changing them and used all kinds of excuses to keep them up.

"In the end we said if they don't change them we will do the job ourselves."

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority's director of marketing Peter Warren said: "Although we feel the legislation is out of date and that the best way to serve the public is to have signs in both metric and imperial, according to certain law Mr Bennett is correct.

"Because of that the police decided not to proceed with the charges and we abide by that decisions.

"However, we believe Mr Bennett is serving a very narrow minority and that the public are best served by having signs in both metric and imperial and that we have applied the rule of common sense rather than the letter of the law."

He added the offending signs would be replaced within the next 12 months.

July 9, 2002 14:30