SIR – With its support for factory farming, the badger cull and live exports of farmed animals, the National Farmers Union is not an organisation with which a humane education group like ourselves would often be in agreement.

However, one issue on which we stand together with the NFU, as well as with the RSPCA, the Marine Convservation Society, the RSPB, various wildlife trusts and many others, is in our opposition to balloon releases, because of the risk of harm to wildlife and farmed animals which they pose.

Fragments of the balloons or, in some cases, whole deflated balloons, can be eaten by animals, causing death and suffering, and birds and other animals can become entangled in string attached to the balloons.

That’s why we were very disappointed to learn that Worcester’s Diglis House Hotel planned a balloon release on New Year’s Eve to raise money for the Worcestershire Oncology Project.

It’s wonderful that the hotel wants to support county cancer care services, but such a shame to do so in such a harmful way.

RONALD LEE Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies