We welcome the increased numbers of people participating in Hunting Newcomers' Week.

The league said hunting was bound to become more popular now the cruelty of killing a fox, hare or deer has been removed.

The Hunting Act 2004 made it illegal to hunt these animals for sport.

The idea that people are turning out to support hunts in sympathy for the ban is absolute nonsense.

Those hunts that claim to have the most interest during newcomers' week all claim to hunt within the law, showing just how unpopular the cruelty was.

The league's investigators and observers will be out to collect evidence of illegal hunting and pass this to police.