I WOULD like to question your “comment” column (News Shopper, October 1).

How do you know if a reasonable number of people have actually witnessed pets being torn limb from limb and people fear for the safety of their babies? Has the paper ever verified claims as to their honesty and accuracy?

I am sure you will recall the story of a baby in Kent being bitten by a fox and the subsequent culling of the fox by a pest control operative from Selhurst, Croydon. In fact, the baby was bitten by the family’s pet dog and the pest contractor, to give the story credence, was a family friend.

I would ask you — do Mrs Richardson’s words ring true — “foxes hunting in packs and cornering cats like wolves”, or are they from an hysterical imagination?

Foxes breeding out of control? Obviously, it is difficult to ascertain numbers but with the loss of town habitat due to extensive building, I would doubt this. I certainly do not see the fox corpses in the early mornings I used to.

Hunting with hounds takes a certain type of person. I disagree country people want hunting. A powerful minority want it to continue and are trying to muster as much support as they can. I hope News Shopper will not become a pawn in their game.

Keith Wilkins Tall Elms Close Bromley