I WISH to counter comments by Derek Courtnell ("Children in Need is the most deserving charity", January 13).

He declares that the people in our country have an "abnormal tendency of love for our four-legged friends" and takes issue with L Hughes, who wrote of our obsession with all things child-linked to the detriment of other worthy causes, including the needs of animals.

Why is it that those of us who choose to patronise animal charities are considered somewhat barmy and are forever being told that animals come second to humans and we should think about children before animals?

Most of the animal suffering in this world is at the hands of mankind, either by wilful cruelty or destruction of habitat, and for Mr Courtnell to suggest that apart from our domestic pets and farm animals nature is best left to its course is ill-informed. Had he witnessed some of the barbaric sights of human inflicted cruelty on defenceless animals that I and others have, perhaps he would revise his thoughts.

Why does the human believe he is so superior that his suffering alone is worthy of compassion? Humans have a voice, animals do not, but this does not mean they do not suffer.

Do they not feel pain? Do they not bleed, do their bones not break, do they not feel cold, hunger, fear? Do they not give birth and feed their young?

Humans are responsible for the pain they inflict on one another, they alone cause human suffering and they alone can be the remedy. Trouble is, they cause suffering to creatures too – but to many that is of little importance. I applaud L Hughes' comments; it's about time the human realised this Earth is not his alone.

An old Eastern proverb states that when a man gets to his heaven he will be judged by his treatment of creatures. Kindness will admit him to his celestial resting place, while cruelty will result in eternal damnation. I do hope that's true!

Jenny Wren

Holne

Unitary views

THE Boundary Committee would like to hear your readers' views on our draft recommendations for future electoral arrangements in Cornwall, on which we are now consulting.

The committee's role is to recommend, after consultation, how many councillors should sit on the new unitary authority and what areas, called electoral divisions, each councillor should represent. The new divisions should provide for fair electoral arrangements that reflect community identity across Cornwall.

We are running this consultation now because, from April, Cornwall's county council and six district councils will be replaced by one unitary authority. Our consultation began last month and readers have until February 10 to tell us what they think of our draft recommendations, which can be found at www.boundarycommittee.org.uk – follow links to the electoral review for Cornwall.

Archie Gall

Director, Boundary Committee for England

Euro madhouse

NOW that they are in force, people are realising that the European Union regulation on low-energy light bulbs – which was conveniently gold-plated by Brown and his mob as part of the climate change con – is ridiculous and possibly a hazard to health.

Hot on its heels is the EU proposal that certain pesticides cannot be used for vegetable growing – which, reports say, will make growing vegetables in the UK uneconomic.

Couple this to the laughable proposal that end-of-pier fishermen and small private boat anglers must be licensed and declare their catches to enable them to be deducted from UK fish quotas, and I am convinced the European Ministry of Silly Ideas has lost the plot.

Nearly everybody I know and speak to is passionately against the EU and its stupid laws and directives, and as it doesn't need much brain power to become an MP or a Government minister these days, surely even they must now realise we have to get out of this EU madhouse as a matter of urgency.

Mike Jackman

Looe

Jobs trade-off

I SEE that the expansion of University College Falmouth is expected to create "up to 428 new jobs" (WMN, January 16).

One part of this expansion is already well under way – the takeover of Dartington College of Arts, which will provide the new Cornish university with music, theatre and dance courses.

Now known as the "Dartington Campus" of UCF, this 40-year-old institution will close in 2010 when all its students and courses are transferred to Tremough.

The question therefore arises: Is the figure for new jobs still 428 once you take into account the jobs which will be lost at Dartington next year?

Ian Wellens

Bovey Tracey

Rainbow moon

LAST Saturday night I saw, for a brief spell, a sight I have never seen before.

The full moon had a white circle around it, meaning "usually frosty or snow in prospect", but curtailing the size of the white circle was a beautiful round rainbow – a wonderful sight.

I was getting chilled taking in the sight. I went out to look again after half an hour – but it was just the plain, though nice, full moon; no spectacular circles around it.

Eric Davidson

Banffshire

Gathering of wrens

THE other evening at dusk, while sitting gazing out of our dining room window, we counted at least 14 wrens sitting in the old crab apple tree waiting to roost.

Our two farm cats studied them with interest, but knew the task was hopeless.

The cats wandered off to hunt, the wrens went off to roost in the eaves under the thatch, the sky darkened and the stars emerged.

Perfect.

Mike and Chris John

Winkleigh, Devon