Holiday tainted by ostrich farm

I was really looking forward to my holiday in the beautiful historic town of Rye.

Unfortunately one of the first things I saw as I drove along Harbour Road toward the holiday park was a sign offering ostrich meat for sale. Behind it were make-shift pens confining quite a few large, majestic, beautiful African birds.

What an abomination! Can we really allow the exploitation of magnificent wild animals? In the wild ostriches are fleet, strong runners. They can sprint up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) an hour and run over distance at 31 miles (50 kilometers) an hour - and yet here, in Rye, they are confined on relatively small patches of land awaiting their new destiny as sausages and burgers.

Can’t we as human beings aspire to something higher than this? Can’t we demonstrate our integrity and respect for such beasts and demand an end to this horrific enterprise? Animals are on this planet for their own reasons and deserve to live a free and natural life.

My holiday in Rye has been tainted but I hope to come back when that ‘ostrich farm’ has closed down.

Yours sincerely, Deborah Andrews, New Town, Uckfield, East Sussex.