AS a vegetarian of approximately 20 years, I am delighted to support Animal Aid's high profile initiative Veggie Month, which runs throughout every March.

All living creatures share the same basic instinct and right; the instinct to survive; to survive and live a happy and fulfilled life.

Yet, in our arrogance, we civilised' humans take away this fundamental right from the animals and we torture and brutally kill them so that we might enjoy a meal that an hour or two later we have totally forgotten about.

Why do so few of us ever stop to consider the horrors that those beautiful sentient living creatures have to suffer throughout their short painful lives?

I encourage everyone to find out about the many benefits of switching to a meat-free diet and to contact Animal Aid for a free guide to going veggie, which includes advice on shopping, cooking and eating and some delicious recipes: www.veggiemonth.com tel: 01732 364546. Also look out for Animal Aid's vegetarian leaflets that will be available on my current UK tour.

DAVE SPIKEY