LETTER:Sheep shipments

From Ms Julia Long

Sir: In your leading article "When private parts get exposed in public" (26 December) you say that, in 1995, "Protestors all but ended the trade in live animals from Britain". This is not so.

The trade, if anything, has increased. For example, on 12 December 41 transporters were counted going into Dover port carrying calves and sheep. The reluctance of the main ferry companies to carry this miserable cargo has simply meant that the hauliers have to hire their own vessels.

"The Protestors Ltd", headed by Carla Lane and Michael Mansfield, is fighting this trade the best way possible - through the courts.

Yours faithfully,

Julia Long

London, SE24