WHILE I am undecided about how I would vote on the issue of fox-hunting, I do agree with Dr Richard Taylor, MP for Wyre Forest, that there are far more important issues for the Government to rectify.

We seem to get far more views from town people than country folk, who are more aware of problems in the countryside.

On the subject of cruelty with fox-hunting, very few people actually objected to the cruelty involved during the foot and mouth crisis, when millions of healthy animals were shot and burnt on pyres - some animals later giving birth to young on the pyres.

Many farmers and their animals suffered for long periods of time.

While I do not condone youths shooting and injuring animals and birds so that they suffer, I am concerned over the number of birds of prey which are increasing in our area. And I have observed many of our songbirds being taken by birds of prey, especially the sparrowhawks.

Predators, in my opinion, are the main culprits for the decline of the smaller birds.

We need to get the balance right for the survival of these small birds.

H WOOLDRIDGE

Buckeridge, Rock