I have written this email after reading the letter from A Collins (Hitchin) in The Comet entitled Savagery of shooting party . I too witnessed a shooting party while in Norfolk at my caravan on the beautiful Wash. I heard shots coming from a nearby field

I have written this email after reading the letter from A Collins (Hitchin) in The Comet entitled 'Savagery of shooting party'.

I too witnessed a shooting party while in Norfolk at my caravan on the beautiful Wash. I heard shots coming from a nearby field and what I witnessed was horrifying and really shocked me. It was like an execution squad with men and their guns and dogs standing in a semi-circle shooting at the beautiful pheasants which were being forced into the sky by men beating at the ground at them. There was no skill in it as the birds could hardly fly and the cruelty was beyond belief.

Ironically, a very short distance away is an RSPB reserve full of bird watchers and bird hides for viewing the sea birds. How the RSPB can encourage people to visit the area for the spectacular views of the birds of this area and can totally ignore the killing that is going on just down the road, just amazes me.

It is a pity that there are people that can do things like this, and fox hunting, for the fun of the sport just amazes me. I don't know how they can sleep at night after going out killing defenceless animals. Also, unbelievably, the royal family are one of the worst culprits of this horror.

Mrs C Whitcomb, Sleaps Hyde, Stevenage

* I do feel it is a shame that a viewpoint is so one-sided, when magpies in particular are aggressive birds which have expanded hugely in numbers causing many smaller birds to be in decline as a result.

As for the seagull - these birds too, are a nuisance. The pheasant - it has been bred specifically for the shooting season. The actions of shooting the seagull and magpie could indeed be interpreted as altruistic to other birds, and the pheasant could well end up as dinner. I applaud the actions of the shooter, and thank them for having a much more comprehensive understanding of the countryside than the author of this letter.

ELIZABETH SAXON, Regent St, Stotfold