I SEE that A Reece has now joined the attack on coursing (You Say, June 21) giving a description that is totally opposite to the truth.

To begin with, the hare is never fenced in or released from a box as A Reece wants us to believe. Its escape is never prevented but always encouraged.

How many times are we going to hear the old line of the hare being "ripped apart" or "torn in half." It does not happen and it never has. The League Against Cruel Sports admitted this in 1992 and the Hunt Saboteurs' Association has done the same.

But full credit to A Reece for accepting the contribution of coursing to conserving the hare population. According to numerous Government-backed reports and research, any coursing ban will significantly reduce hare numbers.

The idea of grants for a National Hare Service proposed by A Reece might be worth a try but I think the taxpayer would prefer a National Health Service adequately funded and allowed to run itself properly first of all.

ALAN COOK,

Moreton-on-Lugg,

Herefordshire.