I WOULD like to reply to the letter from Bob Shanks, dated October 7, the so-called countryman from Norfolk, ha ha what a laugh.

The article printed about the massacre of birds at Hillborough was supposed to bring awareness to people about the callous, scum who came and murdered young defenceless birds still caged, by chopping off their heads, killing baby chicks, still with their mother, and a broody sitting on eggs due off any day, decapitating her and putting their foot through her eggs. They call us sick, at least the birds are released and roaming the land, before the guns go off. The few people who do go shooting on this land only get what is needed for the pot.

The birds concerned were raised on a farm at Hillborough; a true countryman born and bred raised them. With the land being shot only by family and friends, not upper class toffs, on a massacre slaughter, but by a group of people who shoot to feed their bellies not their pockets.

It really is typical of people like Mr Shanks to put two and two together and make five, it is his sort of people who causes conflict in this world, the so-called do-gooders. For Mr Shanks reference it was not only pheasants that was slaughtered but bantams, some of which were years old, family pets, named, friendly and loved by Mr Handy's grandchildren and handled every day, as soon as we walked into the pens, three of them would fly up onto our shoulders for a stroke, we're not that callous, you can be a country man and have a heart.

Another point I would like to clear up, is that as stated in the Journal's article, no money is made out of this shoot, it is purely a few friends, senior citizens having time out shooting, not as "read between the lines" by Mr Shanks, an "upper class toffs shoot". Maybe it's time for this country man to go and live in the concrete jungle as somewhere between Norfolk and Stratford upon Avon he has obviously lost his country ways of life, and not appreciate the way of life in the country. I have only one question for Mr Shanks, does he drive? There are more birds and animals killed on the British roads by traffic these days than anything, and when they are, does he stop? To see if they are dead, alive or worst of all suffering, I doubt it. When we're out shooting every bird is counted for, the dead, and the injured. May this be the last of the issue as I don't want this to end up being a heavy debate/slanging match between us, everybody does have freedom of speech, which I do respect, I just want to get Mr Shank's facts straight first. May this now be the end of this matter as no matter what anybody says, it is distressing for my father and I would not have wished this to of happened to anybody, regardless of my beliefs, but if Mr Shanks is interested I have some good recipes eg for a pheasant and shallot casserole or a game pie, makes a nice refreshing change from the norm of lamb, beef, pork and chicken. Umm I can taste it now.

From Miss Handy, daughter and country girl and by gum, proud of it.

TRUDI HANDY, Grafton Lane, Bidford.