A TEENAGER is hoping the Prime Minister will have kept his promise this week - and voted for a ban on fox hunting.

Three years ago Roseanne Mills, then 11 years old, interviewed Tony Blair about his views on fox hunting for the RSPCA magazine Animal Action.

In the interview Mr Blair told Roseanne that he was against hunting and would vote in favour of a ban.

Now, ahead of Tuesday's debate of the Hunting Bill in the Houses of Parliament, Roseanne reminded Mr Blair of his promise.

Roseanne, aged 14, said: "I was thrilled when Mr Blair promised me that he would vote to ban hunting, but I am disappointed that three years later he still has not done so.

"On Tuesday he had the best chance ever of getting rid of this horrific

so-called sport once and for all, so I decided to write to him again and ask him to keep his promise to me."

In her letter to Downing Street Roseanne wrote: "By ignoring the

suffering of foxes we are abusing our position of power over these beautiful innocent creatures. The treatment of wild animals is an indictment of the type of society we have.

"How can we allow this barbaric and unnecessary killing to continue in the name of sport."

Roseanne, from Adel, has felt strongly against hunting since seeing a hunt in action while in the Lake District some years ago.

"I was really shocked. Fox hunting is cruel and inhumane and I would do anything to see it stopped."

She added she did not believe jobs would have to be lost in the countryside and she suggested people turn to drag hunting - which involves a human 'quarry'.

"I do not want to see the hunt disbanded, hounds put down or jobs lost in the countryside.

"The drag hunt could become a

cruelty-free new bastion of English country life which everyone is proud to be involved in."

Roseanne said in answer to those who would criticise her for not understanding the ways of the country, she would argue that she had read a great deal about foxes and about the

effectiveness of hunting with dogs.

"I don't believe foxes are a pest and I think there are many more humane ways of getting rid of them."

John Rolls, the RSPCA's director of communications, said: "Roseanne's views are echoed by the majority of people in the country. Hunting is intrinsically cruel and no amount of regulation will address that."

Yesterday, MPs voted on three options contained in the Hunting Bill - that hunting with dogs continues under self regulation; hunting with dogs continues under licence; and hunting with dogs is banned.

l As the Wharfedale was going to press MPs had yet to voteon the issue but experts were predicting a vote

calling for an outright ban.