SIR - No matter how much people try to define and defend their support for bloodsports, there is no animal welfare in shooting and wounding game birds or chasing a nocturnal animal, such as a fox, on horseback with hounds to exhaustion for sport.

On the contrary, this traditional pursuit is barbaric to the extreme and has no place in the 21st Century. As for legislating against this bloodsport, in view of the public feeling, the Government was duty-bound to act. And just like bear-baiting and cockfighting, foxhunting will hopefully one day be a thing of the past.

L SPITERI,

Worcester.