THIS Saturday will be the start of the grouse shooting season.

It will now be about 25 years since I shot two grouse on Denton Fell near Carlisle on this day. The dogs brought the two grouse to me spewing bilberries from their crops and I unloaded my gun and never shot again.

I had been shooting for almost 25 years and ate everything I shot. I now wish I could bring everything back (to life) that I ever shot.

I am a nature lover but I loved shooting with a dog in the wilds.

Grouse moors must be one of the wildest most uncontaminated places in England as there are no pesticides sprayed there for any reason. They are special places where lots of wildlife flourishes and I hope they continue to flourish for many years to come.

Malcolm Rolling, Carrville, Durham