SURFING the internet recently, I discovered that Lancaster has its own animal rights group and I wonder if readers are aware of what these fanatics are about.

At its simplest, those whose cause is animal rights' believe the life of an animal is worth the same as that of a human, and that if you wouldn't do something to a human then you shouldn't do it to an animal.

Think for a moment what this might mean to you. There would be no meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs to eat, no safe life-saving medicines, pet keeping would be banned and you wouldn't be able to control pests in your garden.

This is basically nonsense but those who believe in it have been responsible for possibly the nastiest campaign of terror and intimidation the UK has ever seen in the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty and Newchurch Guinea Pigs campaigns.

I urge readers to steer well clear of these fanatics, who may appear pleasant and committed yet behind whom lurk grave robbers, thugs and some of the nastiest people in our society.

Jake Mitchell, Tunbridge Wells.