SIR – It is brave of Vaughan Hencher to ride a penny farthing bike (June 21), but I wonder if he realises that the charity he’s riding for uses animals in some of its research.

Animal studies often lead down blind alleys and impede progress.

I urge anyone who cares about animals and wants progressive medical advancement to write to the British Heart Foundation and ask them to fund only non-animal research.

PAULINE BURGESS,

Malvern Link.