IS THERE not mawkish and disingenous overkill in the campaign begun this week - to coincide with the start of the grouse season tomorrow - by the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance which uses a disabled clay pigeon-shooting enthusiast to defend gun sports?

"If you take away my gun, truly, you are taking my life," says wheelchair-bound Bob Brooker, who is shown shooting at clays in full-page national newspaper advertisments in support of gun sports. As far as I am aware, no-one wants to stop anyone, disabled or otherwise, from blasting away at pieces of pot for fun.

But what people who do not like having their intelligence insulted might like to see stopped is a disabled person being used, whether willingly or not, as an emotive front for the country sorts who feel their amusements that involve blasting birds from the sky or hounding deer and foxes to death are in need of preservation.

It is selfishly cruel - not just to the creatures slaughtered by these disgusting people, but to the exploited Mr Brooker.

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