Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Hundreds of thousands of people came out to support their local hunts at meets across the country today, but the worst Christmas weather for many years means that hunting has been curtailed in many places. The Countryside Alliance says the crowds send a clear message to the next Government: “give Parliament a vote to scrap the Act”. (......read on for a round up of Boxing Day media coverage.)

New research published by the Countryside Alliance on the biggest hunting day of the year shows that 57% of people believe the Hunting Act is not working. Nearly half of the population (49%) also believes that a new Government should either repeal the Act or give Parliament a free vote.

Hunts across the country are holding opening meets this Saturday at the start of what could be the last season under the Hunting Act. A new survey* from the Countryside Alliance has revealed that the campaign for repeal is receiving record levels of support.

The prosecution against John Harrison, Huntsman of the Ullswater Foxhounds has collapsed today at Penrith Magistrates Court, after the Judge accepted a submission that there was no case to answer. Seven employees of animal rights organisations had filmed Mr Harrison hunting in November 2008. The prosecution claimed that he was illegally pursuing foxes, but District Judge Chalk ruled that there was no evidence that he had pursued an “identifiable mammal at any stage”