Hunt planned for the day after the ban (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hunt planned for the day after the ban

THE master of one of the country's top hunts will lead an illegal hunt the day after a ban comes in, he revealed today.

Mark Hill, master of the Vale of the White Horse hunt in the Cotswolds, will proudly lead out a group of thousands of followers on February 19 - the day after a ban comes into force.

"We will be meeting somewhere - that's a definite," said Mr Hill. "Old England isn't dead yet.

"We are aiming to do something. None of us have ever been in this position before. We've spent the last decade trying to stop this ban.

"I only hesitate to say we'll break the law because I'm responsible for a number of employees - we've been getting bigger numbers of supporters this season than ever before.

"It would be a major protest," said Mr Hill, who didn't rule out crowds as big as 3,000.

"It's all to do with social spite - they've made it plain that there's an ulterior motive. People like Tony Banks have made no secret of it.

"It's pretty sick when jobs an livelihoods have been lost. It would be a huge crowd. I suspect I will be leading a sad but determined group."