Woman protester hurt in clash with hunt fox-hunt clash

(First Edition)

A WOMAN protesting against hunting was knocked unconscious after allegedly being hit on the head by a hunt supporter.

Jane Griffiths, 22, was injured during a confrontation between protesters and supporters of the Garth and South Berkshire Fox Hunt at Mattingley, near Yateley, Hampshire, on Saturday.

Ms Griffiths, from London, was taken to Basingstoke district hospital by ambulance where she was treated and later released.

One of the protesters, Peter Melville, 34, said her assailant had been with terrier men on the hunt earlier in the day. 'We had a few run-ins with this particular person earlier. It seemed like his job was to scare a few people but he couldn't get rid of us.

'As the hunt was finishing, he came back with three friends and a group of hunt supporters. We were trying to calm him down and he just started lashing out with this big stick. We don't come out here to fight. We just come to stop them killing foxes. We didn't expect any trouble.'

He said the protesters intended to press charges.

Hampshire police are being taken to court today by 11 hunt saboteurs who are suing the Chief Constable for false imprisonment and trespass against the person. The offences are alleged to have happened when saboteurs tried to disrupt a hunt on the Isle of Wight two years ago.