SIR – Contrary to what the Countryside Alliance would like us to believe, the recent judgment on the Hunting Act from the High Court is, in fact, a very positive step forward in ensuring illegal hunters are brought to justice.

Instead of being a ‘new blow to the Hunting Act’, this will clarify the law and clear up any confusion around what is legal hunting and what is illegal hunting.

There is absolutely no suggestion anywhere in the judgment that the Act is unenforceable.

More importantly, this will clear the way for a backlog of cases to pass through the courts which will no doubt see the number of prosecutions rise even further.

The League has always believed the law to be sound and effective and, as with any law, the problem is with enforcement, not with the law itself. Testament to this is the fact nearly 100 MPs have signed a new early day motion calling for better enforcement of the Hunting Act.

Seventy-five per cent of the people in the UK do not want to see a return to the cruelty that took place when killing wild animals for fun was legal. It’s time the Countryside Alliance et al accepted this.

Douglas Batchelor, chief executive, League Against Cruel Sports, New Sparling House, Holloway Hill, Godalming