Farmers shoot dogs and pheasants exist comes as a surprise to city slickers

One fifth of British children think the countryside is boring and 53 per cent of adults think the countryside is boring reveals a new leisure report from hotel chain Travelodge.

Delving into the nationals knowledge about Britain’s green and pleasant land, adults would rather stay in and play with their Wii.

Professor of Tourism from University of Surrey, John Tribe said: “It is alarming news that over half of the nation thinks the British countryside is boring and there is nothing to do or see there. Maybe this is because in the last decade Britons have preferred to holiday abroad and as a result; they have forgotten the UK is abundant with great rural holiday locations.”

“Now is the time to get back to basics and appreciate the best things in life are free. Rural Britain is full of free things to do and see; it’s just a matter of using your imagination. With the recession hitting home and the weak pound, 2009 is the perfect year to rediscover destination UK.”

The study also tested the respondents’ knowledge of the Countryside Code, which revealed that 37 per cent did not even know it existed.

One in ten adults thought it was safe to eat all berries and fungus they found growing, and 24 per cent mistakenly thought they had the right to pick wild flowers in the countryside. A ridiculous 32 per cent of people could not correctly identify a Pheasant.

More seriously was that 60 per cent of people thought that if their dog was caught injuring or worrying livestock a farmer could only report the owner to the police. Only 25 per cent got the correct answer – dogs found doing this could be shot and destroyed on sight by the farmer with no ifs or buts.