NIEL Hansen, of the National Anti-Hunt Campaign, decries and condemns the people assisting Lord Burns' government-sponsored inquiry into hunting with dogs (Letters, May 29).

They were appointed to look into the social and economic effect of a ban on hunting and not whether hunting should be banned or not.

They have examined evidence from both sides and, contrary to Hansen's claims, have been accompanied at all times by an observer from the League Against Cruel Sports and their report is to be unbiased and impartial.

John Blunt (LET, May 31), also condemns the Burns inquiry and then follows up with totally misleading claims that the inquiry team is saying "there is no conclusive evidence that a fox attacked by hounds feels pain at the kill."

This is absolute nonsense. It is not in the remit of the inquiry to pass any such judgment.

At the time of publication of John Blunt's article, the findings of the inquiry had not been published, which leaves one to conclude that this is a figment of his imagination.

A J H PILKINGTON, Lancashire county chairman, Countryside Alliance.