Letter: Intelligence of pigs

Sir: I am glad that Peter Brooks ('This little piggy will go to market in style', 28 January) extols the intelligence of pigs. I am reminded of an incident which happened on the pig farm of the late Sir Thomas Salt at Shillingstone in Dorset. Tired of his tractor sinking into the mud while carrying feed from barn to sty, he built a miniature railway to do the job. At the sound of the approaching diesel locomotive, the pigs would all line up for mealtimes. Later, the railway became more sophisticated as visitors from the model and miniature railway fraternity were eager to take a ride themselves; a larger diesel locomotive arrived to pull passengers. But when this train passed, the pigs were not fooled - they quietly slumbered on.

Yours faithfully,

ROBIN BUTTERELL

Shepton Mallet, Somerset

29 January