BBC Correspondent Cary Johnston: Protests across the country

One of the biggest fox hunting days of the year started with a handful of campaigners from the Protect Our Wild Animals group gathering at Chequers, the prime minister's official country residence.

They handed a model of a human backbone and video footage of fox cub hunting over to police officers at the gate, before going on to protest against a hunt at Bicester, Oxfordshire.

John Bryant, one of the group's founding members and a former chief officer for the League Against Cruel Sports, said the backbone was "a new one to replace the one that was lost over the fox hunting Bill".

Peaceful protest

Up to 400 anti-hunt campaigners gathered in the centre of Maldon, Essex, as about 30 riders from the Essex Farmers and Union Foxhounds passed through, according to a spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports.

Police were prepared for trouble

Around 200 pro-hunting supporters were also present, he added.

Basildon and East Thurrock Labour MP Angela Smith joined the anti-hunt protesters.

She said: "It has been a normal part of my Christmas but hopefully it will not be for much longer. The turnout of people against hunting is growing year after year."

She believed that a law banning hunting was "unstoppable".

Bob Brierly of Worcesershire Hunt: "We protect the fox"

More than 300,000 hunt supporters were expected to take part in or watch 300 events on Boxing Day.

Bob Brierly, of the Worcestershire Hunt, defended the fox hunts and criticised the anti-hunt protesters.

He said: "They have no real concern for the fox. We protect the fox and take those that need culling."

Meanwhile, a Mori poll commissioned by the International Fund for Animal Welfare has found that 66% of the public in the UK favour a ban on hunting with hounds, with the figure up to 74% among Labour supporters.

UK Director of IFAW Mike Baker said: "As we approach a new year, momentum and morale in the anti-hunting campaign is high, and we will now redouble our efforts to secure a government commitment by the year 2000 to end this cruel and barbaric practice."

Hunting with hounds: Most people support a ban says a new survey

Earlier in the day, a government Minister appeared to back the idea of local referendums on whether fox hunting should be banned in specific areas.

Junior Environment Minister Michael Meacher's comments will be a boost for backbench Labour MPs who have already floated the idea as a way of reducing hunting without forcing a bill through parliament imposing a national ban.

Mr Meacher said local ballots were a possible "third way" between the current situation and an outright national ban.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Fox hunting is a matter which I think is not going to go away.

"There's a great deal of discussion about ... whether there's a third way.

"It need not be either abolition or not abolition but there are ways, for example, asking people in the area whether they agree, whether they accept it, whether they want fox hunting to take place.

"That's one option, but there are other options."