Letter: A goldfish is a cruel prize

It appears it is still not illegal, unless the winner is under 16. It is therefore concluded that a person over the age of 16 has the knowledge and understanding of how to look after fish, so giving their prize, a goldfish, a good home and a long lasting happy life!

These fish, are hung up waiting to see what fate awaits them. They live in a minimum amount of water, containing chemicals, possible dangerous to the fish. The water is low in oxygen and these fish try so helplessly to survive in all these poor conditions. However, some of the fish, as seen on the day, just give up and lie dead at the bottom of the bag they used to call home.

At least they don't have to wait any longer to see what fate awaits them. It is understood many of the fish won last only a few hours. They are swung around, bags break and the fish are seen lying on the floor experiencing a very slow and painful death. Some fish are purely disregarded and dumped as the novelty of winning a fish wears off.

Every year, I write to our caring Telford & Wrekin Council to look into the matter of goldfish as prizes and every year nothing happens, and the practice continues, even more so this year as there were more stalls giving goldfish away as prizes.

If the council doesn't do anything – as they haven't for years to put a stop to this barbaric practice – let us, the public, put a stop to this and boycott every stall that continues to give fish as prizes.

Many councils in the UK have put a stop to fish as prizes, why hasn't ours?

Stephen Handley

St Georges