Hundreds of people gathered in Masham yesterday (December 26) for the annual Boxing Day hunt.

It was one of dozens of hunts held across the country amid renewed focus on the activity. 

The government pledged to ban trail hunting in its animal welfare strategy, which was published on Monday (December 22).

Trail hunting, in which hounds follow a scent rather than a live animal, was introduced after fox hunting was banned in 2004.

About 70 riders gathered in the market square in Masham to watch the start of yesterday’s hunt. Similar events took place in Bedale and Northallerton.

To coincide with the hunts, the Countryside Alliance published a poll which said two thirds of voters think the Labour government neglects rural people and doesn’t care about them.

The pro-hunting pressure group claims hunts contribute more than £100 million a year to the rural economy and form part of the social fabric of rural Britain.

Spokesperson Polly Portwin said the “government’s fixation on trail hunting is completely out of kilter with the priorities of voters”.

Ross Crawford, master and huntsman of the Bedale Hunt, said: “The support we had in Bedale today was absolutely fantastic. So many people turned out to back the hounds and the hunt, and it really showed what a strong and committed community we have around us.”

Trail hunting critics claim it is a smokescreen for illegal foxhunting.

The League Against Cruel Sports published figures this week which claim the number of foxes seen being chased has increased.

Chief executive Emma Slawinski said:

“It has been 20 years since hunting wild mammals with dogs was banned in England and Wales and, while we applaud the government’s commitment to consult on trail hunting, ministers need to go further and close the many loopholes in the law that make prosecuting illegal hunting so difficult for the police and courts – to properly end hunting for good.”