I AM writing in response to Christine M Stokes (BEN, February 20).

Ms Stokes claims that eating 'veggie' makes us live longer. Is this a proven fact or is it a generalisation that us protein enriched, unfeeling omnivores are doomed to short life spans?

I don't know if you travel a lot, Ms Stokes, but I can think of at least half a dozen poor unfortunate animals that would make a meal of you in a second.

As for hunting and killing my own prey, you have again made an incorrect assumption.

For the last 21 years I have shot, skinned,or plucked, then eaten a wide and varied assortment of our furry or feathered friends.

Ms Stokes is perfectly right. Animals do have as much right to walk this earth as we do, just so long as they don't walk into my sights.

And talking of 'sinking teeth', we are blessed with a wonderful set of teeth and they were not meant just for chewing the ends off juicy, mouth-watering carrots.

I would like to state that the opposite of Ms Stokes's assumptions is true.

I 'love' animals -- in fact, I think they are absolutely delicious.

Gary McNulty

Oxford Grove

Bolton I AM writing in response to Christine M Stokes (BEN, February 20).

Ms Stokes claims that eating 'veggie' makes us live longer. Is this a proven fact or is it a generalisation that us protein enriched, unfeeling omnivores are doomed to short life spans?

I don't know if you travel a lot, Ms Stokes, but I can think of at least half a dozen poor unfortunate animals that would make a meal of you in a second.

As for hunting and killing my own prey, you have again made an incorrect assumption.

For the last 21 years I have shot, skinned,or plucked, then eaten a wide and varied assortment of our furry or feathered friends.

Ms Stokes is perfectly right. Animals do have as much right to walk this earth as we do, just so long as they don't walk into my sights.

And talking of 'sinking teeth', we are blessed with a wonderful set of teeth and they were not meant just for chewing the ends off juicy, mouth-watering carrots. I would like to state that the opposite of Ms Stokes's assumptions is true.

I 'love' animals -- in fact, I think they are absolutely delicious.

Gary McNulty, Oxford Grove

Bolton