Sir, - Mr Lawn (D&S letters, Dec 1) would do well to remember that children's moral sense is often sharper and less sentimental than that of many grown-ups.

If I were one of his children or pupils, for example, I would be curious to know why meat-eaters get so steamed up about game-shooting when more shed-reared chickens are electrocuted and have their throats slit in a day than free-range pheasants are shot in a year. Both species die to be eaten, and if assured by Mr Lawn that the chicken's demise is at least "humane". I hope I should have the gumption to at least get the chicken's second opinion.

If told that industrialised food production is justifiable as a properly regulated economic activity, on the other hand - whereas game-shooting is unjustifiable as mere blood-thirsty amusement - I think I should want to know why something unjustifiable in itself can become justifiable if done for money or by paid servants (aka abbatoir operatives).

As a child with an "innate sense of right and wrong", I would have many more questions to put to Mr Lawn, but those ought to keep him going for a bit.

JAMES LEIGH

Ulwards Lodge,

Thornton Watlass.

Lost its way?

Sir, - Peter Hale, writing to support Mr Lawn's complaints in respect of the Mount Grace pheasant shooting, declares that "fox hunting is on the rack", and feels encouraged that a change to one or more possibilities from "leisure and recreation" might soon become available. He is in luck.

Even as I write our Prime Minister, Mr Blair, is toiling ceaselessly with his repellent friends to lower the age of homosexual consent from 18 to 16 years of age. This is wonderful news for sexual deviants who will no longer be liable to prosecution for sodomising 16-year-old children. Mr Blair's hatred of the countryside and its traditions is well chronicled, and it is depressing to note the rural addresses of those with "Cool Britannia" Islington attitudes who write to complain of country sports.

What, I wonder benefits an adolescent boy more, being taught to hunt or shoot or to be abused?

Parliament has completely lost its way and no longer represents the will of decent people (the majority). Spin is the new morality, as evidenced by Mr Lawn's failure to mention that in order to confront the shooting party, it was necessary for him to lead his small child past several notices explaining the preserve of shooters and over private land outside the Mount Grace gardens.

Perhaps as an infant teacher he should know better?

Clive Oldroyd

Ash Lea

Castleton.

Eating turkey?

Sir, - Mr M Lawn (D&S, Nov 17 & Dec 1) wonders how he is to explain to his children the spectacle of people killing pheasants for pleasure.

He may be a vegetarian, but if not, he might do well to start by taking his children to an abattoir to watch people killing birds and animals in peculiarly gruesome ways for money - and then try explaining that as he puts the Christmas turkey before them.

JOHN RETTIE

Agglethorpe,

Leyburn.

Wet and wild

Sir, - As the railway situation had not fully recovered, I persuaded my sister-in-law from York to accompany us to Tenerife from Teesside Airport.

The facilities inside the terminal building are very nice, but to observe them from the outside in pouring rain on the 200 yards, or more, to the waiting aircraft, is not. Nor is it nice to sit in wet clothes for (in our case) five hours.

On our return we endured the same walk. The rain was driven by the wind and there were deep puddles on the walkway causing wet feet and ruined sandals. Surely an enclosed walkway is required?

Despite there only being one aircraft to unload, the luggage took some time to arrive and when it did it was soaking wet.

To add further insult to injury there was a charge of £60 for two weeks' parking. Earlier this year we stayed at the Worth Hotel, Gatwick. A first class double room with all new furnishings, quality transfer to the terminal, there and back, free parking for two weeks, all for £55.

When the railways revert to normal operation, Teesside airport will surely suffer unless they take action to improve boarding facilities.

JOHN L F THOMPSON

Riverside Cottage,

Bainbridge,

Leyburn.

Poor alternative

Sir, - Your report "We're letting the plane take the strain" (D&S, Dec 1) takes on added significance following the failure of the Hague climate change meeting.

Society is beginning to wake up to the ecological catastrophe facing our world, assisted by such television programmes as the excellent David Attenborough series State of the Planet recently broadcast on BBC1.

It is a tragedy that, at such a time, people are being forced to travel by air, which produces the greatest amount of CO2 per passenger mile of any form of transport.

It is bad enough having the railway system in such a shambles, especially for those who rely on it for their travel needs. It is far worse when the chaos comes just at a time when we are realising the need to use those means of transport which minimise CO2 emissions.

Rev DAVID CHRISTIE

The Vicarage,

Patrick Brompton,

Bedale