WHEN the author Henry Salt wrote the anti-bloodsport poem 'Mr Facing Both Ways,' he had in mind just the type of argument advanced by J Kirkham (Letters, September 20) and Countryside Alliance (CA) spokesman A Pilkington (Letters, September 12).

On the one hand, they flippantly dismiss shooting as a less cruel means of killing wildlife than hunting, yet J Kirkham has written in support of shooting recently and the CA are currently promoting the 'Campaign for Shooting.'

Professional marksmen, unlike the amateur butchers of the CA, are more than capable of hitting a small target even at night.

The attempt by the CA to persuade the Government to allow them to resume hunting, despite new cases of foot and mouth, shows they care not one bit for animal welfare or the countryside and tourism.

G METCALFE, Moorhey Crescent, Bamber Bridge.