SIR — At the opening meet of the Quantock Staghounds on Monday, September 2, a number of hunt followers and their vehicles were in Pardlestone Lane, Kilve.
At approximately 3pm, one of these vehicles, a dark blue Land Rover with a cream top, came down the lane at speed past my cottage where the lane is narrow and curved.
There was another vehicle coming up the lane, and on seeing it the driver of the Land Rover jammed on his brakes and skidded 33 feet before hitting my boundary wall.
Such was his speed that it demolished the low stone and earth banking, pushing it into the gully, and also knocked several stones from the top of the perimeter wall that bounds my property.
I was working some distance away and on hearing the crash I went to investigate but before I could confront the driver he had reversed out of the gully and was driving away.
Groups of children from Kilve Court frequently walk the lane past my cottage and because of its narrowness they often stand with the teachers at the side, or even in the gully, when they hear vehicles approaching, so as to let them pass.
Had such a group or anyone else been there when this incident occurred, they could quite easily have been crushed against the walling with horrific consequences.
Reckless, inconsiderate behaviour of this kind is what helps to get hunting a bad name.
Hunting itself is not to blame for this incident but like football hooligans, these followers tarnish the very sport they purport to support.
With the Countryside Alliance march taking place later this month, it does nothing to help the cause for hunting and only serves to muster opinion against it.
Perhaps the culprit would have the decency to contact me to apologise and offer payment for the damage he caused.
Ray Saunders,
Pardlestone Lane,
Kilve.