SIR: I am writing to tell you about Leopold, who as a young bear was trapped in the forest and taken to the town where he was chained up through his sensitive nose and made to walk on red hot plates, while the back of his legs were hit in time to the music.

Onlookers then taunted him and forced him to drink, beer. Why? Because he was being taught to "dance" for tourists who would pay good money to watch his agonising waltz.

But Leopold was lucky. He was rescued from his life of torture by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and taken to one of their sanctuaries where, free of pain and suffering, he once more enjoys life.

But, sadly, there are thousands of bears like Leopold who suffer daily for the amusement of tourists. But BEN readers can help by boycotting such spectacles when they go abroad and by sending a donation, however small, to: WSPA, 2 Langley Lane, London SW8 1TJ.

Please help them rescue more bears.

Sara Lee

Harper Fold Road, Radcliffe

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