THE Game Conservancy Trust claim that grouse shooting makes a huge contribution to nature conservation will not fool everybody. Many, like myself, view the annual glorious August 12 grouse blood bath as just another cruel sport raking in a vast amount of money.

Wild grouse were long since made extinct by man's relentless pursuit of game birds, so what we have now is an intensified farmed version in the process of which all predacious wildlife, including birds of prey, have been mercilessly trapped, poisoned and shot by accommodating gamekeepers to ensure a good game-bag for the wealthy, mindless, triggerhappy shooting parties. Enough said.

Norman Wall, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear