I AM writing in support of M Houlston of Horwich who wrote about getting the facts right on vegetarians. If I had a pound coin for every time someone has said to me: “I’m a vegetarian but I don’t eat fish!” I would be a very rich person indeed.

I have been vegetarian for over 30 years and I am raising my three children as vegetarians too which can a challenge as a lot of other parents seem to see it as a crazy fad or even see me as being cruel to my children for not letting them enjoy the succulent pleasure of tasting dead flesh.

My son recently went on a school trip abroad and, as one of the stop off points was at a well known burger chain, one of the teachers bought him a fish burger.

When my son told her he was a vegetarian and therefore didn’t eat fish, the teacher replied: “Your Mum didn’t put on the form that you don’t eat fish”. No but I had put on the form that my son is a vegetarian!!

Vegetarians would have more respect if we were so because of religious beliefs but as it’s for the concern of the welfare of animals, it seems okay to belittle. We’ll be having a Christmas lunch without turkey and it will be far from bland.

Joanne Whitehead Bolton