Zippo's Circus has now moved on after a very successful fortnight on Hove Seafront. Throughout our stay, we were watched and monitored by animal rights activists. I refrained from comment at the time, but there are now several points to be made.

The circus paid considerable rent to Brighton and Hove Council for the use of the land, thus generating income for the town as well as providing entertainment for local residents and visitors alike.

No complaints were received from local residents during our visit.

Fewer animal rights activists appeared than last year, perhaps because Zippos Circus displays only horses, and our excellent record on animal husbandry is well documented.

Our horses, were stabled at the front of the circus in Hove and it was possible to view the horses in the stables throughout the day, free of charge.

It was distressing to hear activists describe parents bringing their children to Zippos Circus as child abusers. I often thought the police were there to protect this small group of animal rights activists against irate fathers at these moments.

The protesters complained about our circus, but were misinformed about the animals we had and our training methods. Zippos Circus has developed a stringent code of conduct for the use of performing animals in all British circuses, which recommends some species are not suitable for circus presentation.

You will see no wild animals in cages at Zippos. But you will always see well groomed and well cared for and much-loved domestic animals delighting family audiences.

I do hope parents read this letter to the many Brighton children who visited Zippos and were demonstrably scared by the wholly untrue allegations of the demonstrators at our gate.

These children deserve the reassurance that the angry mob - however small - is not always right.

-Martin "Zippo" Burton