LETTER: That's no way to treat a lobster

From Dr Leonard Black

Sir: Simon Hopkinson extols the flavour of fresh lobster ("Hot, buttery, fresh from the sea", 13 May), prepared either by cutting the animal in half while it is alive or immersing it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, "effectively killing" it. He says that we should not be put off by the the price of this delicacy, but surely, in the name of humanity, we should be put off by more than that.

Can such barbaric cruelty possibly be justified by even the most delicious of flavours? Now that the demand for fur garments and veal meat have diminished in Britain, the time has come to avoid restaurants which feature this shellfish on their menus.

Yours faithfully,

LEONARD BLACK

Guildford,

Surrey