The Countryside Alliance has renewed calls on the National Assembly to oppose plans to ban fox hunting.

The alliance presented a petition of over 20,000 names supporting hunting with hounds, saying that any ban would destroy local jobs and harm the countryside.

The Government is expected to make parliamentary time available for a hunting ban to become law.

The petition was delivered by horse and cart to the Assembly building on Wednesday morning.

The National Assembly is no stranger to pro fox hunting campaigners.

Thousands of members of the Countryside Alliance gathered in Cardiff Bay last November to urge the Assembly to oppose plans to ban hunting with hounds.

'At risk'

The alliance is calling on the Assembly to recognise that proposals to ban hunting would be what it describes as an infringement of people's liberties.

The Alliance also says a ban would destroy local jobs and harm the countryside.

It claims that as many as 16,000 jobs would be at risk if fox hunting were to be banned in the UK.

Anti-hunting campaigners say the figure is under 1,000.

The Government has ordered an inquiry into the effects of fox hunting.

But it is expected to make parliamentary time available for a hunting ban to become law.