Hunters outfox their opponents

More than 300 hunts, including stag hunts and 194 fox hunts with packs of dogs, will be riding to hounds today, four years after the Act that banned the hunting of wild mammals with dogs came into force.

Passions are undiminished on both sides of the argument. While the Countryside Alliance says that hunting is more popular than ever, the League Against Cruel Sports challenged that claim. "If hunts are hunting legally, as they claim to be, and attracting record support, why do they want a repeal of the Hunting Act and why are they so reluctant to be monitored?" said Douglas Batchelor, of the League. Tim Bonner, of the Alliance, responded: "Support is high because the rural community, and others who oppose illiberal, unjust laws, are showing their opposition to the Hunting Act."