I WRITE with regard to foxhunting and the government's attempt to ban this long time rural pursuit. I question the ethics of this ban, and suggest that if the government wish to continue down this line, they must also take into account the shooting of foxes, poisoning, and snaring them with wires. These latter forms of control inflict far greater suffering in many instances. They cannot be seen to discriminate, for discrimination is a legal offence!

I am a retired farmer of three generations. Whilst not a hunting supporter, I tolerated this tradition in the knowledge that older and infirm foxes met a timely end, for they can suffer greatly in their natural demise. I have seen a dead fox with gunshot wounds to its rear end, gangrene had set in, and unable to hunt, it had died possibly from starvation over many days or weeks of suffering.

The fox by nature is itself a hunter, part of a hierarchical chain of hunt and be hunted.

It must be almost unique in that, like mankind, it kills for the sake of killing. I recall forgetting to close a free range poultry pen one night, the carnage next day totalled 37 dead, decapitated hens.

Only mankind is unique, in that unlike the fox, he kills his own species by the tens of thousands.

Returning to the hunting ban, this government must be seen to treat all aspects of fox control on an equal basis, otherwise they will fall into a trap of their own making!

DAVID A LEADBEATER, Meon Road, Mickleton.