DURING the last month there has been three articles in the Gazette concerning fox hunting.

The first included a sickening photograph of a person (I refrain from calling him human) and his partner taunting a captive fox with a pitchfork.

The second involved a pack of out-of-control hounds trespassing on a property which resulted in a panicked horse breaking a leg and being destroyed.

The latest incident reported today again involved an out-ofcontrol pack of hounds causing stress and danger to a pregnant mare and a young foal.

Read more:

The Essex and Suffolk hunt master has apologised to the owner for the “unfortunate incident” giving an assurance that it will not happen again. The same apology and assurance was given to the previous owner only two weeks earlier!

These assurances are worthless but hopefully the master of the hounds, or whatever his job title, will be undergoing a refresher course as clearly he is not the master.

Any form of animal hunting in the name of sport is barbaric and should be abolished.

If any pro hunt readers are considering a response, before doing so, please refer to the case of Mark Hankinson and spare us any more pathetic trail laying excuses, they are insulting.

Roger Springall

Birchwood Close, Tiptree