The League Against Cruel Sports said its members have held vigils at 15 hunts across Britain but no trouble was reported on the main day in the blood sports calendar.

About 280 fox-hunts were held on Boxing Day - a traditional activity that could be banned by the year 2000.

Angela Smith, the Labour MP for Basildon and Thurrock, joined about 300 protesters at a hunt in Maldon, Essex.

"Hunting is barbaric," say protesters

She said: "I'd like to think that this will be the last Boxing Day when we see hunts taking place across the country.

"But I think being realistic it will take longer than a year to outlaw hunting because of the opposition we will face in the House of Lords."

She added: "I can understand people being disappointed because legislation is not yet being discussed by Parliament. But I would say to them, don't despair, I think we will get legislation in the lifetime of this Parliament."

The protesters in Maldon greeted the hunt with jeers and a surge forward. But police said there had been no physical confrontations or arrests.

Another significant demonstration was held before the Garth Hunt in Reading, Berkshire, where about 100 people turned out to taunt the hunters.

In addition to the open confrontations with the hunters, a spokesman for a hunt saboteur group said it would have 1,000 saboteurs in Britain's fields and around another 5,000 giving out leaflets.

But a larger than normal number of hunters turned out to take part in the fox-hunting, and pro-blood sports groups said this was evidence that people in the country would not accept Parliament forcing its will upon them.

Although the current Private Members' Bill attempting to outlaw hunting is unlikely to succeed, the Prime Minister has said the Government will allows a vote on the issue within two years.

Protesters targeted around 15 hunts

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports said the day's protests had been a success.

Kevin Saunders said: "Everything has gone off peacefully without people getting out of control. We have had a good turnout but the hunts have not."

However, Pamela Morton of the British Field Sports Society said the protesters claims to have outnumbered hunters were "absolute bunkum".

She said: "They have only outnumbered us at Maldon. They have really not had a very good day. It has been good hunting."

The Prince of Wales did not join the Beaufort Hunt, where he has often taken part in the past. Instead he was to spend the day shooting partridge and pheasant on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
 

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