SIR – In reply to Miss Lynne Stokes (T&A, July 30), who asks the question: “Who does he think he is?”

To answer this question, it is to believe, like I do, that everything is alive, from land, sea or air.

Miss Stokes states how animals are reared to be slaughtered. Why doesn’t she relate this to vegetables as well?

Vegetables are reared to be eaten. Yes they are alive, fertilisers and insecticides thrown at them, and they are also force-fed to bring in a better yield, and, yes, she eats them.

If you want to eat anything that isn’t reared for eating, without man’s interference, then you will eat fish that is caught from the ocean.

As we all have to eat, a mixture of diets relates to sharing resources.

I don’t tell vegetarians what to eat. If you like eating vegetables only, Miss Stokes, then do it, but don’t have a go at us meat-eaters. Because we do, there are more resources to go round, so leave us alone.

Paul Greenwood, Allerton Grange Drive, Allerton, Bradford