HUNTING is a tradition older than some of Ledbury's finest buildings and like it should be accepted that the Market House needs to adapt to modern needs (i.e. disabled access), people should also accept that hunting foxes is no longer an acceptable means of making a living in the 21st Century.

I couldn't help but laugh aloud at Mr Donald Haden quoted in the Ledbury Reporter as saying that "the government has chosen the path of prejudice and spite". The pot will continue to call the kettle black.

The "rural way of life" pro-hunting people talk about is a phrase used in order to make those not particularly opinionated about fox hunting feel threatened in order to gain support for their cause.

I'm sorry, but the inhumane killing that fox hunting has become notorious for is something the "rural way of life" no longer needs to be associated with.

Bill Wiggin, Leominster MP, was quoted as saying: "The bill will criminalise a lot of people who haven't really done anything wrong."

Only a politician could be blinkered enough to make this comment on something as blatantly and fundamentally wrong as fox hunting.

ROBERT POWELL, Homend Crescent, Ledbury.