The excuse that hare coursing brings the community together is a fallacy

Sir, - It is interesting to read about the debate on hare coursing. Here in the UK, it was banned in 2005 and has all but stopped, except for illegal meetingse dealt with by the authorities.

It appears that those who illegally carry out the practice will continue to do so no matter what the consequences – a shame on them.

Although the hare population has not recovered, this is mainly due to the destruction of their habitat. Hedgerows are being removed for more intensive farming and they are given little protection from shooting. The ban has at least kept the numbers on an even keel.

The practice was seen by some here as an event celebrated on the land of the gentry, such as the Waterloo Cup at Great Altcar, which was regarded as the blue riband event of the coursing calendar. Its loss, however, has not been mourned. The excuse that it brings the community together is a fallacy; even here, it was only the die-hards who wanted it to continue while locals rarely attended the events. - Yours, etc,