Published: 20/12/2006 00:00 -
Updated: 22/02/2009 00:24
The Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt, one of the oldest in the Midlands, will be going ahead on Boxing Day despite the ban and even with animal rights groups threatening to demonstrate at the event.
Organisers of the hunt have assured people that it will be taking place within the law, with hounds following an artificial scent instead of chasing foxes.
Lucy Boulton, hunt secretary, said: "The Boxing Day hunt is the most popular of all our hunts and we expect hundreds of people to join us, many on foot as well as on their horses.
"We are not aware of any protestors that are intending to come but we are not doing anything wrong and are staying within the realms of the law.
"However, we are actively campaigning to have the law repealed but at the minute we have to keep the hounds going until that happens and are having to make do with hunting in this way. The Countryside Alliance are challenging the law at the moment."
But the event could be marred by animal rights group, the Veggies, who have threatened on various internet sites to attend, although when the Advertiser contacted them they failed to reply with confirmation.
From the start of 2001 organisers of the hunt ceased to advertise their hunts because of the attention they received from hunt sabouteurs.
Hunting was banned in February, 2005, and the law means that the hunting of foxes with hounds is no longer allowed in England and Wales.
However, the law still allows hunting of certain creatures and "loopholes" in the law mean that even foxes could be legally killed in a hunt if it was unintentional.
The hunt, which has in the past been visited by Prince Charles, is set to take place at Blithfield Hall, near Abbots Bromley, on Boxing Day, starting at 10.45am.
The hunting group will also be presenting cheques at the event to charities across the region after spending the year fund-raising.
Last year the group gave £1,000 to staff at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital for equipment, as well as a further £1,000 to Nottingham’s Queens Medical Centre after completing a sponsored ride of Cannock Chase.
