Campaigners celebrate after National Trust members voted to stop trail hunting


Campaigners against fox hunting have claimed a victory today after a vote took place to ban trail hunting on National Trust land.

The League Against Cruel Sports demonstrated outside Harrogate's conference centre to show their support for the banning proposal.

Inside National Trust members voted to stop trail hunting on its land. The sport sees hounds following a trail rather than a fox. The sport is legal - and the Countryside Alliance say people should not be stopped from taking part.

Opponents claim it can sometimes be used as a cover for hunting wild animals.

The Countryside Alliance, who campaigned against the motion, say the Trust should not discriminate against people and that the Trust is under no obligation to mandate the vote.

Polly Portwin, Director of the group, said: "Today’s vote involved a tiny proportion of the Trust’s membership and is absolutely no mandate for prohibition of a legal activity which has been carried out on National Trust land for generations.

"Adopting the motion would totally undermine the Trust’s own motto: ‘for everyone, for ever.'