AS you so rightly say: "It makes sense to sustain wildlife before it disappears for good." And like William Fairclough, over 39 years ago I too collected newts in a jam jar (Letters, June, 4). The crested, the red bellied, the warty and the leathery skinned ones!

But these days the newts are a rarity and it's we ex-collectors who have red bellied, warty and leathery skins, desperately trying to sustain life - through jars and bottles of the NHS variety!

Dale Minks,

Ancress Walk, York.

Updated: 10:04 Tuesday, June 08, 2004