Here they go again, Cameron's Hoods, the local hunt fraternity, are on the march. It is the return of the the 'I have got a horse and I am not afraid to dash about showing off my shiny buckles and knobs and kill defenceless furry animals' brigade.

Bravo! they shout, it's in my blood; it's a tradition don't you know, the countryside is crying out for us to return, we are all powerful.

Well, have I got news for you.

Firstly, hunting with dogs is illegal and was banned using a democratic process, where an overwhelmingly number of people, voted against the unnecessary cruelty that a pack of hounds can inflict while goring to death an helpless animal.

I run a local small holding and over the past year have lost a lamb, eaten by a fox. It was my fault – down to bad shepherding – I should have not been so hasty in letting the little ewe back to the main heard (shepherds watch their flocks by night!).

When I was growing up on a farm my job was to look after the hens, ducks etc. I remember this very vividly, as I was late one night in penning them all up. The fox was there and had killed half a dozen or more.

Did I get a ticking off from dad.

My dad said that it had killed all the chicks on a neighbouring farm and he would go and tell the local gamekeeper. Within a few days he had shot the culprit and that was that.

I can remember the gamekeeper was a kind man who loved animals and would be most upset if he ever had to fire his gun twice to kill something. This was, and I believe still is, the most effective form of humane pest control.

It was only a few years ago that a marksman using a lamp at night killed more than 43 foxes within a two-week period. This was necessary as the farm had been left dilapidated for a very long time.

Most of the animals shot, that I can remember as a young man, were 'used'. Dad would skin and eat the rabbit – if they where no good the dogs would have them. Pigeons had there breasts cut out and added to a casserole. This was delicious.

The moral is that unless a pest, the animal was used for food, which brings me on to another hunting subject – pheasant shooting. The birds used to be shot by true sportsmen and then sold for food in local butchers shops. Nowadays there are so many insecticides and chemicals put into game bird food, it is really not advisable to eat them, so instead most are buried using a JCB.

I believe that birds bred just for sport should be outlawed the same as using dogs as weapons.

The bad press which hunting people have given the farming world is disgraceful. The truth is the majority of farmers care about the stewardship of our land and the importance of humane wildlife coalition, and don't want anything to do with the sadistic society of blood sport, which incidentally spread diseases across the countryside such as salmonellosis and brucellosis etc.

A wise farmer would be aware of this.

There is one final thought about the hunt: is it such a good place for the welfare of a child to be encouraged into such a grotesque and sadistic ritual, which involved smearing the fresh blood of the kill into the face of that child?

PAUL CHANT

Rhybridge Farm, Midsomer Norton

I think Dan Norris is asking the wrong question. Anti-hunt feelings are stronger now than ever. Survey after survey, shows about 72 per cent of people are against hunting foxes with dogs, for deer hunting it goes up to about 80 per cent.

Only those in denial still think that hunting with dogs is acceptable to the people of this country. The question we should be asking is what is the sickness in their minds? For five years we have had a good, working law against cruelty.

They still get to ride with the dogs, wear funny medieval costumes, leave Land Rovers and horse boxes blocking roads and private driveways. Incidentally, you never see the dogs on a lead when on the public highway.

Most activity is the same except for the cruelty aspect and yet, they still want the law repealed. We must conclude that these people need the screaming, the mutilation, and the blood, to feel fulfilled, to have had a good day.

Finally, the correspondent who criticised Mr Norris for turning up improperly dressed for ritual slaughter was hilarious, as anyone will know if they are unfortunate enough to come across a meeting of the "unspeakable". There you will see a row of rusting old cars and pick-ups, wheezing old Land Rovers covered in straw and many ragged old coats tied up with baler twine.

What hypocritical snobbery.

ALUN PERSON

Green Street, Ston Easton

With reference to Wansdyke MP Dan Norris's campaign, I would like to point out that there is no such thing as a fox hunting ban.

I believe most people would be shocked to know that it is still legal to shoot, poison or snare foxes.

The ban refers only to hunting mammals with dogs.

If we are going to comment on the merits of a ban, then the correct information should be available, to ensure that any debate is a correctly informed one.

KIM GARDNER

Wellsway, Keynsham