THE campaign for the protection of hunted animals comprising the RSPCA, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the League Against Cruel Sports, has come together to launch the 'Deadline 2000' campaign to end hunting by the new millennium.

Hunting with dogs is self-evidently cruel, as those who have seen footage of foxes and hares being chased and killed during hunting will agree.

As a nation of pet lovers, Britain should lead the world in animal welfare.

Allowing hunting to continue undermines our ability to do so. This barbaric practice can in no way be justified as sport and must be banned in our society before we can think of ourselves as civilised.

MRS SHEILA BRENNAN, Bombay Street, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.