SIR - At first, I thought I must have misread last week’s article about “sporting art” at Kennaway House.

Yes, I thought, some pictures of local folk playing bowls, tennis, etc. would be a bit of a change ... but no, it seems the artist (and Kennaway House trustee) is thinking of something much more sinister: his understanding of “sport” consists of blasting wildlife out of the sky!

What’s more, he proposes to use the opportunity to display “a range of sporting guns from Sportsman Gun Centre”.

I am sure I am not alone in asking what this barbaric activity has to do with either sport or art.

The shooting industry may like to present it as some kind of natural, bucolic pastime, but, in fact, more than 45 million pheasants and partridges are mass-produced every year to serve as feathered targets for wealthy ‘guns’.

About half the released birds die before they can be gunned down, from exposure, starvation, disease or predation, or under the wheels of motor vehicles. Only a fraction of the shot birds are eaten.

This appears to be a blatant attempt by someone in a position of influence to promote a personal agenda and I sincerely hope that Kennaway House, which is proving such a great focus for the town’s cultural and social life, will seriously rethink its decision.

Sharon L Howe

Fortescue Road,

Sidmouth