Sir, The prosecution of a greengrocer in Sunderland for selling goods in pounds and ounces, followed by the vote in Parliament to ban fox hunting, will undermine the forces of law and order.

Our police need the confidence and support of all sections of society, and anything which undermines that confidence is damaging.

Our police are under great pressure.

We have falling numbers of police officers on the beat, and our rural areas are chronically short of a police presence.

To add to their problems, by dragging honest shopkeepers in the courts for not selling goods in metric measurements is crazy.

To then create a situation where police officers are going to be instructed to arrest many law-abiding citizens for engaging in their traditional countryside pursuits, can only be damaging.

Let our police spend their time catching real criminals.

Recently, our chief constable (supported by the chairman of the police authority) announced publicly that he would adopt a lenient policy towards smokers of cannabis, and would not prosecute.

I hope that in Cumbria a similar policy will be adopted towards shopkeepers and huntsmen.

Rex Toft

Conservative group leader

Carlisle