SIR: I rehabilitate injured bats and care about the welfare of wildlife in general.

Last year I heard that there were problems at Greenmount Wild Bird Hospital and I attended their AGM to form my own view.

I was appalled by what I witnessed and have remained concerned ever since.

I attended the demonstration at the Sanctuary on March 1 as an observer, and I have to speak out in defence of the protesters. The 'rabble rousers' a spokesman referred to in your article of March 2 conducted the demonstration quietly and in a dignified manner.

A sign outside the hospital says it is always open on Sunday afternoons and for visitors to hoot their car horns for attention. The idea of doing this was rejected on the grounds that it would disturb the birds.

I'm satisfied myself that the re-instatement of Irena Zalasiewicz is not the issue - though she does seem to have been treated very badly.

The issues are: The welfare of the birds; the rights of benefactors and exiled helpers; the conduct of the committee.

A Graham

Chair South Lancashire Bat Group,

Lakeland Crescent, Bury

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.