SIR – In reply to Mr Shenton and his attack on me for supporting the hunting ban. He says, to quote, that I am “a type who would not have a concept of rural social interaction”. May I enlighten him – I was born and bred in the countryside and have been a member of the Women’s Institute for longer than he has had hot dinners.

If he means that I am not one of the countryside’s cream (rich and thick), well I am only too pleased to say that I am not.

The WI does more for social interaction than anyone else and it’s a pity that the hunting mob can’t put their efforts into something more productive than killing and torturing anything which gets in their way – and that includes family pets.

HELEN SMART
Worcester