THE readers of the Evening News are very much aware of the hunting issues that are regularly commented upon by various contributors to the letters page of this newspaper.

Your readers may also remember that Mr Burgess offered any reader the opportunity to have a proper look at the whole subject of hunting with dogs.

I took up this opportunity and visited the Worcester Hunt Kennels during the latter part of 2000. I met with the Huntsman, a Joint Master and Mr Burgess. There were no great surprises, but then I did not expect any, and the day passed off cordially.

Clearly at the kennels, which are governed and are subject to Environmental Laws, there was not a great deal hidden. However as we all would agree, the kennels are very much one small part of hunting. Indeed, if this was a drag hunt, I would not expect to see much less.

What I originally requested - and which has still yet to be offered - is unfettered access to the activities of those carrying out hunt duties.

During the hunt, when a fox is marked to ground, terriermen are used along with their terriers to contain and kill the fox. The manner in which this is completed, is - in my opinion - hideously cruel. Dog fighting, as we know, was banned many years ago.

Through this paper I request that I, with other like-minded individuals, be allowed unrestricted access to video, for public consumption, the digging-out and dispatching of a fox by terriermen and their dogs. Truly and only then can hunting have nothing to hide.

RICHARD BOOKER,

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,

Sansome Place,

Worcester.