Heat risk to life for bathers and birds

THE Bank Holiday weekend was a scorcher and for the 126 million chickens in UK factory farms, a potential death sentence.

For every day temperatures reach heatwave levels, World Animal Protection estimates that 1.5million chickens are at risk of dying from heat stress.

These are sentient animals packed into spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper, in windowless sheds. The fast-growing breeds that dominate UK broiler chicken production have been genetically pushed to grow so fast, their bodies are already under chronic stress before the first hot day arrives.

Chickens can’t sweat. They have to cool themselves by panting, an ability that fails rapidly when they are surrounded by thousands of other birds generating body heat in an enclosed space.

As the Met Office has noted, extreme heat events are increasing. Factory farming is unsustainable and chickens need access to the outside.

Dr MARK BORTHWICK, World Animal Protection UK

THE tragic spate of recent deaths in water around the UK reminded me that the BBC used to put out really persuasive, powerful public information warnings on the dangers of cold-water swimming in hot weather for those unaware of the risks involved.

That would surely still be a good idea from a publicly funded organisation. Come on, BBC, let’s offset the wokery with something more helpful.

KEVAN RAMSDEN, Keighley, W. Yorks

INFLUENCERS, please broadcast the message: unplanned open-water swimming is not safe. D. R. WATKINS, address supplied