Hunt children are blood smeared (From Bucks Free Press)

Hunt children are blood smeared

9:47am Friday 26th November 2004 in Your Letters

THOSE of us who do not have a bloodlust cannot understand why the few people who go hunting are fighting for their right to cause pain and probable death to an animal.

They even take their children along and some hunts have the tradition of smearing the blood of a newly killed stag, fox or hare on a child if it is their first time hunting. This, and all the rest that hunting stands for, is not a civilised 21st century activity.

MPs of all parties have overwhelmingly supported the ban in yet another vote.

We live in a democracy and hunting with hounds should follow the other banned "traditions" such as cockfights, bear or bull baiting, otter hunting, pigsticking, child chimney sweeps etc. These people even get all dressed up to hunt hares which are a threat to no one and are rather scarce in Britain.

There are other pressing matters and so we do not want our parliament and courts bogged down with more hunting debates. Let us move on to tackle issues such as health, care of the elderly, education, law and order and a more peaceful countryside. If they must, they could go draghunting.

The trouble is they want to have an animal to chase.

Name and address supplied