THE twelfth of August is traditionally a glorious day - unless you happen to be a grouse.

The arrival of the Glorious Twelfth is usually accompanied by noisy complaints from the anti-blood sports lobby.

With fox hunting being harried, grouse shooting remains an important source of income for rural areas in this region, while also playing a part in the conservation of the moors.

Not everyone likes the notion of birds being shot for sport, but on balance it would seem that this pursuit does more good than harm, especially as more stringent requirements are now in place to control the shoots.

Updated: 10:22 Tuesday, August 12, 2003