Vanessa Feltz conducted a debate on BBC Radio London yesterday about the spelling of the Lea Valley. She called it a debate “gripping the capital”.

The first caller was Keith from Harpenden who made the very good point that the River Lea rises at Leagrave.

I had a five minute interview with her afterwards when we ranged over the various river spellings in past centuries.

This is what I said in the Daily Telegraph yesterday: “In the 19th century, the Ordnance Survey decided to use both Lea and Lee. In 1967 an Act of Parliament established the Lee Valley Regional Park.

“However, the Lee Valley Park recognises the river’s name as Lea. With the Olympics approaching, I think it is time to accept that the entire valley, extending from Luton to Bow Creek, is now known to most people as the Lea Valley.”