I WISH to the letter from David Slater in which he claims that Friends Of The Boar was formed by David Slater, Alastair Fraser and Joyce Moss. The truth is that it was formed by a small number, including myself, as a non confrontational group worried by Defra setting up feeding stations and high chairs in an attempt to monitor and count the numbers.

Local poachers then seized the opportunity to use the "facilities" to shoot large numbers, even resorting to supplementing the food with dead animals including sheep.

Defra removed the feeders, but the poachers were still there. Makeshift high chairs sprouted up and the killing went on , but in reduced numbers.

This was long before either David Slater or Joyce Moss became involved, and by this time my small collection of orphans had started. David and his young daughter turned up at the farm to photograph them and I told him about Friends Of The Boar. He was interested and eventually by default took over the group and started the website. Gradually his output became more and more extreme and when Joyce Moss became involved I knew the time had come to distance myself from them.

I have always believed that management of the boar was a Forestry issue and although I did not always agree with their methods I did accept that a cull would become necessary. The views of both David and Joyce are to my mind far too extreme and confrontational. I have, and always have had great sympathy for victims of boar damage but in most cases I have heard there is someone feeding them, thereby attracting them to human habitation.

Boar are highly intelligent and will soon realise that they are not welcome and move on. 'Ella' our first orphan baby was using a cat litter tray by the time she was three weeks old and would sit on command. For some time now I have been giving free talks on wild boar and that offer still stands whether the audience is pro or anti boar.

– Alastair Fraser.