Sir - Darren Morris ("Call for racing ban is completely incorrect", April 7th) states that according to statistics provided by the British Horseracing Authority "jump racing accounts for just over four fatalities in every thousand runners".

However, those statistics actually add up to hundreds of horses being killed on racecourses every year, a situation that surely cannot be justified in a so-called civilised society.

Mr Morris also ignores an even worse aspect of horse racing, which is the thousands of young horses, bred for the racing industry (both jumps and flat), that are put to death every year because they turn out to be unsuitable for the purpose.

This is the main reason why this appalling industry needs to be done away with and why, like Ronald Lee ("Close the racecourse to end suffering", April 3rd), I would urge members of the public not to attend or bet on horse racing.

Peter Talbot

Worcester