WE must be indebted to Ashley Crossley for putting the matter straight on hunting. Before I read his letter I thought hunting was a cruel pastime enjoyed by an absurd, but fortunately small number of people.

Following his letter we now know it is undertaken for the benefit of the fox and I assume the huntsman do it out of the goodness of their hearts rather for the sadistic pleasure of seeing a wild animal ripped to pieces.

Back in the real world, Mr Crossley should know if you work out the number of foxes killed by hunts it is a very small fraction of those killed for pest control. So the argument that hunting is pest control doesn't hold water. He should also realise that the hounds are not allowed to have a peaceful retirement but are destroyed as soon as they can be replaced by more active dogs.

He said "there is so much else we need to do," why then did he devote a substantial part of his latest leaflet to animal welfare. Mr. Crossley, you brought up the matter, don't complain because you were badly caught out.

By even the largest stretch of imagination, hunting and animal welfare can never be reconciled. It is as daft as saying you can cut taxes, improve public services, increase pensions and provide more police. But, of course, that is what the Tories expect the electorate to believe they will do if they get into power.

Mr Crossley says of hunting "he would not support pursuing this ban." Well he won't have the chance as our local Member of Parliament. Mr. Leamon had it spot on Mr. Crossley hasn't a chance of winning this seat, his own fellow Conservatives have blown what little chance he had.

L B Sandcroft, Woodlane, Falmouth