Fox hunting: Fresh demands to toughen laws ahead of hundreds of meets

There are caller calls to fortify the prohibition astir fox hunting up of much than 200 meets connected Boxing Day.

The Countryside Alliance says it is the archetypal clip successful 3 years accepted meets volition beryllium spell up successful full.

Using dogs to pursuit oregon termination foxes was made amerciable successful England and Wales successful 2004 successful the Hunting Act.

Labour has called for stricter laws astir fox hunting aft it claimed determination person been little than 450 convictions successful implicit a decade.

Official figures compiled by Labour amusement 438 convictions - including 42 past twelvemonth - were secured since 2010 nether the Hunting Act.

Labour wants to adjacent "loopholes" successful the instrumentality and says way hunting - which involves laying a scent for hounds to pursuit alternatively of a unrecorded carnal - is being utilized arsenic a "smokescreen" for the amerciable hunting of foxes.

The Countryside Alliance, which campaigns for the instrumentality of fox hunting, accused Labour of harbouring a "pointless governmental vendetta against hunting".

Chairman Nick Herbert said: "Labour's presumption is utterly illogical and the ample fig of prosecutions nether the Hunting Act lone shows that the authorities is perfectly effective."

Reacting to Labour's figures a authorities spokesperson said: "The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a chaotic mammal with dogs and anyone who believes that an offence has taken spot should study the substance to the police.

"Those recovered blameworthy nether the Act are taxable to the afloat unit of the law."