Sir, - Having failed utterly with a similar campaign in the USA, the foreign animal rights organisation Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), with a "war chest" reputed to be £30m, has launched a sensationalist publicity campaign to try to get fishing banned in the UK.

The cheek of an outfit which speaks for hardly anyone in Britain trying to impose their extremist view on a traditional part of British life via our own laws will be roundly repudiated by the estimated three million ordinary people in the UK who fish for leisure.

Nor will it have pleased the government, whose latest manifesto expressly reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding angling. But we can expect more of the same propaganda from Peta and other well-funded animal rights groups.

As a campaigning organisation, the Countryside Alliance is unique in the UK in including in its manifesto a pledge to combat the extremist animal rights agenda while campaigning for responsible animal welfare principles.

The alliance, which of course is well-used to challenging effectively the strident and prejudiced attacks on country sports such as hunting, has long warned that other traditional pastimes would soon be subject to similar assault.

In fishing's defence we have ourselves already swung into action. For example, through our major new "Gone Fishing" campaign, the alliance has picked up the cudgels against Peta over the American group's previous recent anti-fishing ruse - a cleverly biased "education" pack, still being distributed in alarmingly large numbers into our schools.

We will continue to fight for fishing's future, as hard as we do for that of hunting and shooting, and will resist implacably the attempts by animal rights zealots to poison public opinion on angling in order to be able to hijack our country's parliamentary process.

JOHN HAIGH

North-East area public relations

officer, Countryside Alliance,

3 Front Street,

Northallerton Road,

Thirsk.

Think about it

Sir, - Were I Dr Doolittle then I could tell you, verbatim, what the fellow creatures of human beings think of August 12 and of other similar times of their lop-sides slaughter.

Lop-sided it certainly is; I can think of no other "sport" wherein one faction has no choice but to participate most reluctantly.

The prey is no more eager than rape victims, elderly or young targets of bullies. I do not equalise all of these situations, yet there is the common factor of violence.

Please, before, or on August 12, think against embarking upon shooting.

I imagine that some will go ahead, despite the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks. There are myriad country pursuits which are not violent, and which can be enjoyed within current restrictions of movements.

Drawing, painting and walking are feasible using roadsides, grass verges and hedgerows and can be enormously exciting in - yes, a quiet way. Think about it, not all pleasure needs the cacophany of guns exploding their bullets, or shot, tally hos etc.

Inherent in all of us is decency, as is compassion; show your intelligence, be kind, these qualities are synonymous. Freedom means for all - not a licence for some to cause hurt.

One does not need to live in the country to understand feelings of joy, duty, sharing, compassion, fear or pain. Do not tar me with a "leftish" brush when I use the word apartheid, to express what some rustics term the separatist ignorance of townies. These urbanites (of whom I am a reluctant member) pay taxes and process the products of the rural bread-baskets.

I wish no offence, just for all of us to use our natural intelligence and be kind. If sport equates with hunting then let us swap sides. Be a fox, grouse, pheasant, partridge, trout or stag for a hunting day. Are there any takers? I think not, I hope not, for even without weapons these creatures could terrify, as we do them.

ANNE FREEMAN

Flat B,

2 Park Villas,

Leeds.