I HAVE rarely read a more hypocritical load of nonsense than that which was written by John Haigh, of the Countryside Alliance (Letters, November 6).

He states that anti-hunt protesters show no respect for the law.

Was it not the Countryside Alliance that once vehemently declared that if the Hunting Bill was passed in its entirety, they would flout the law and carry on regardless?

Did they not then trespass on railway property by holding up a train in North Yorkshire which was carrying an anti-flout MP to try to further their cause?

Was it not they who stormed Parliament causing MPs to think they were terrorists and were duly prosecuted?

John Haigh's letter is one of pure sour grapes, simply because he and his kind are not allowed to tear an animal to pieces using dogs. However, the hunts are proud to inform anyone who would listen that they have now killed hundreds if not thousands more foxes by shooting than they hitherto would have before the ban.

I despair of human nature; children are being taught that it is okay to be heartless to wild animals.

Will these people not be satisfied until the fox (a beautiful animal) has been wiped from the face of the earth?

Of course, if Tony Blair had had the courage to implement an outright ban, instead of bringing in his usual half-baked legislation to save his own political skin, then this issue would have been resolved instead of rumbling on into infinity.

Mrs W P Carter,

Marston Crescent,

Acomb,

York.

Updated: 11:00 Wednesday, November 16, 2005