SECURITY was needed to keep apart supporters and protestors packed into Ledbury High Street for the traditional Ledbury Hunt. 

There were tensions evident at the hunt - which usually meets on Boxing day but was held a day later this year - but the event went off largely peaceful.

Tensions built in the run up to 11pm, with some of the protestors shouting “animal abuse scum” and “hunt scum” and shouts back to “get a life”. 

And when the huntmaster addressed the crowd, the protestors - made up of around 20 people - attempted to drown him out with their own microphone. 

The huntmaster told those gathered: “This is something we will continue to do for as long as we are allowed”, which was applauded by many who attended. 

The huntmaster also thanked the town council for supporting the hunt, after it recently narrowly voted to not ask Herefordshire Council to block the road closure bid.

 

 

He said the hunt, made up of people from different walks of life, had been meeting in Ledbury for 175 years and said the tradition would continue.

That were shouts of shame throughout from the protestors, while another one was making jokes on the microphone.

Foxhunting was outlawed in 2004, but trail hunts are still permitted. However, even this form of the sport remains controversial.

The Ledbury hunt had stressed that it was trail hunting, with a scent trail laid prior to the hunt setting off at around 11am.

Protestors signs included “Fox stake stop hunting”, “Fox hunting isn’t sport it’s murder” and “Hounds off Herefordshire wild life and all wildlife everywhere forever”, and another had siren that was heard at various points.
 

The Ledbury Hunt can trace its origins back to 1846 and has met in the town centre every Boxing Day since then. The only exceptions were during the war years and last year, due to pandemic restrictions. 

Cafes in the town were busy after the meet, with queues at Coffee #1 and Greggs near the historic Market House. 

The crowd - made up of hundreds of people - appeared smaller than in previous years, potentially a combination of the poor weather conditions and concerns over the spread of Omicron variant.