February 6, 2001 11:58: I WAS compelled to write after seeing the photo of ladies rejoicing, in what was described as a victory for the rights of the pheasant not to be bred and shot over a 400-acre estate owned by John Lewis Partnership.

Are we to assume (when I say "we" I mean persons of logical reasoning) that because of a minority of confused idealistic, hysterical, noisy, fashionable and forceful beings, the pheasant will in a few years not be part of our countryside? Would this indeed be a victory?

Some of the aforementioned may answer my question without again logical thought and say, "Pheasants will now be free to wander and look beautiful as before".

Before is going back hundreds of years to no pheasants. They only survive if managed. Some escape to areas where they are not shot and are free to breed, but the success rate is very small because of so many natural enemies. It requires this perpetual man reared programme to sustain the balance.

We are all entitled to opinions but these of late, are a fashionable recreation and have distorted and forced opinions on to people by extremists who, otherwise, would have been content to let country matters be managed by country people.

This energy of so many people brainwashed into believing and celebrating victories over country issues force a serious imbalance that can lead to an irreversible wildlife catastrophe.

There is decline of our common bird species which is not due to shooting to hunt or for sport. These activists could serve a real purpose and become involved by helping research real problems of benefit to us all and the countryside.

M.W. Payne Amersham Road Beaconsfield