I HAVE just returned from what was likely to be the last legal Boxing Day meeting of hounds in Kington town centre.

For as long as I can remember, hunting has been a way of life for me and I enjoy the sport immensely. I felt very sad on this day as I witnessed the merriment and excitement, which is always present at a hunt meeting.

However it was not the impending ban that made me feel sad. It was more the fact that here we were, enjoying this beautiful morning and looking forward to a day's sport, after which most of us would return to blazing fires and yet more eating and drinking. Meanwhile, across Asia, whole communities have been wiped out and thousands are left wondering how they will ever begin to piece their lives back together.

At meets across the country, followers were given the rebel-rousing speech: I couldn't help feeling that a moment's silence would have been more appropriate under the circumstances. Surely now, as we enter 2005, in light of this terrible tragedy, it is time to reassess our positions and consider the issues that really matter?

For me, to waste time and resources on debating hunting is now shameful. We have child soldiers in some parts of the world, there is an AIDS crisis that is escalating out of all proportions and still there are third world countries without food and with debts that they will never be able to pay.

I am not criticising anti-hunt campaigners; those of us who are passionately pro-hunting are equally guilty.

On my part I would now be happy to see a ban if I truly believed that those who have put so much energy into protest would now channel their energies into these infinitely more important issues. We saw 250,000 march for hunting; it would be good to see similar numbers as passionate and supportive of the 'drop the debt' campaign.

I hope 2005 will be a year of change on a global scale: to continue fighting among ourselves on behalf of a fox would be pitiful.

PENNY COMPTON,

Bishopstone.