Herefordshire town hunt celebrate 200th annual Boxing Day hunt

The Ross Harriers met in Ross-on-Wye town centre at 11am on December 27, with Broad Street shut from 10.30am until 11.45pm.

The traditional Boxing Day event took place a day late this year as hunts do not meet on Sundays.

Horses and hounds took to Ross-on-Wye as Ross Harriers held their 200th annual Boxing Day hunt Picture: Ross Harriers

Miriam Walkuski, lady huntsman of Ross Harriers, said: "We at the Ross Harriers would like to say thank you to all the lovely support we received on our annual boxing day meet at the market square.

"It may have been my first boxing day meet as lady huntsman, but it is the Ross Harriers' 200th, and is great to see the support is still there."

Ross Harriers hold their annual Boxing Day hunt

Hunts are still legal in England and Wales, providing a scent trail is used.

But the National Trust, Natural Resources Wales and Malvern Hills Trust have banned trail hunting from their land over recent months amid concerns over law-breaking.

There is some strong opposition to hunts, which are sometimes accused of hunting live foxes and not just pre-laid scent.

Ross Harriers celebrate 200th annual Boxing Day hunt Picture: Ross Harriers

National animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has renewed its calls for hunting to be stopped on public land.

The charity's calls have been echoed by Labour, who on Boxing Day also urged government departments such as the Ministry of Defence to end trail hunting licences on their land.

The charity said hunts claim to follow animal-based scent rather than chase foxes and other wild animals, but the conviction of Mark Hankinson, a senior hunting official, for encouraging or assisting others to break the Hunting Act 2004.

The charity said this showed that trail hunting is a "smokescreen" for old-fashioned illegal hunting.