Every year in Britain, around 40 million pheasants and partridges are mass-produced like commercial poultry so that they can be shot down by wealthy 'guns'.

This bloody and brutal end to their lives is the final insult. From birth they are kept in cages, sheds and pens, in which disease and death are a daily feature.

In an effort to eliminate the stress-related aggression between the birds, they are fitted with an array of devices that restrict their vision and prevent them from pecking their cage-mates.

Because of the enfeeblement that results from being intensively reared, many birds die before they can be gunned down. They perish from exposure, starvation, disease or predation, or under the wheels of motor vehicles.

Many shot birds are not eaten. Even pro-shooting magazines have reported that some are buried in specially dug holes.

Killing animals for fun has no place in a civilised society. For a free Anti-Shooting pack contact Animal Aid on 01732 364546 or go to www.animalaid.org.uk

Paul Mace,

Northampton Road, Harborough.