Hunts packing them in

Nov 5 2006 By Phil Doherty, The Sunday Sun

Fox hunts say membership is reaching record levels . . . despite new laws governing the sport.

A ban on hunting with hounds was introduced in February last year and took effect in earnest that November, when the hunting season began.

Despite fears for the future of the sport, supporters say membership and support has actually increased across North Yorkshire, the North East and Cumbria.

Countryside Alliance spokesman James Bates said: "In the North, the increase of support has been extremely strong, with hunts such as Morpeth and Tynedale attracting record numbers of new hunters and supporters. We believe the increase has been driven by a combination of people wanting to show their support against the ban and because of publicity generated by the debate.

"Labour had it in for us because they thought it was all about toffs and to them, this was a class war.

"But this simply isn't true, as the majority of people who enjoy hunting are not wealthy people and come from all walks of life."

Other hunts that have seen increases include the Zetland Hunt, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, the South Durham Hunt, the Percy Hunt, in Northumberland, and the Cumberland Farmers Hunt, in Cumbria.

According to the Countryside Alliance, the fox population has not risen because landowners are resorting to shooting and snaring . . . methods the Government's own scientific adviser, Lord Burns, has said are arguably less humane than hunting with dogs.

It is still legal for foxes to be "flushed out" using hounds or a bird of prey.

Also, if a hunt is following a man-made scent trail and accidently comes across a fox and kills it before it can be dispatched with a gun, then no crime has been committed.

So far, only one person has been prosecuted for breaching the law . . . that action was brought privately by the League Against Cruel Sports.

The Countryside Alliance is trying to overturn the ban in the European Court.