Hundreds come out to see traditional hunt in full swing

More than 40 horses and riders took part in the Hursley Hambledon Hunt, which left from The Bucks Head, Meonstoke.

Hunt secretary Rosamond Masterman said it was a delight to see so much support for the event. ‘It was lovely. There were wonderful crowds and we saw more support than last year,’ she said. ‘There was a great atmosphere with people enjoying themselves, the tradition and the countryside.’

The Hunting Act came in 11 years ago, forbidding hunts from using dogs. Many continued to operate within the law, following an artificial scent trail, however anti-blood sports charity the League Against Cruel Sports is campaigning for them to be scrapped. Despite this, the Countryside Alliance said more than 300 hunts took place across the country on Monday, with some attracting crowds of 25,000.

Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said: ‘We are seeing a huge amount of support from the rural community.’