Townie or yokel? As a resident of West Malvern I feel I have a foot in both camps and also felt offended by the remarks made by J H Ling (Your Letters, October 1), in which he criticised the 'townies', telling them to get their own house in order before making comments about hunting.

My husband can't play football, but he is certainly very vocal as he watches a game on the box.

I've never seen a lifeboat, but I give generously to their cause.

Wherever we live, we have the right to make value judgements on a wide variety of topics. Might I also remind Mrs Williams (Your Letters, October 22) that freedom of the individual must also take into account our democratic process. As individuals, we might wish to take drugs, drink to excess, speed in a car etc. but the people have decreed otherwise.

Finally, perhaps we should define 'working class' before stating that such a group support hunting.

If you ride a horse, I bet you are not working class, although you might well 'work'.

By my old-fashioned definition, no self-respecting member of the true 'working class' would ever lower themselves and be seen at a hunt, with perhaps the exception of a few forelock-tugging yokels.

Angela Smith, St James's Road, West Malvern.