THOUSANDS of people from West Devon are due to travel to London this weekend, to join the Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood march on Sunday.

Betty Boundy, secretary of Eggesford Hunt, said the response to the call to march on Sunday had been 'very good'.

The hunt is taking two coaches to London and in addition, Mrs Boundy has secured many seats on trains.

She added that not all those on the coaches were members of the hunt.

'We've got several who are not hunting people — they're really going on countryside issues rather than hunting.

'They're not happy, some feel the countryside is being pushed aside, I think some were badly affected by foot and mouth — the feelings are quite strong,' she said.

Sue Joynson, who has organised coaches on behalf of Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt, said the response had been 'tremendous'.

She said: 'Spooners is a fairly small hunt, but our coaches are full to overflowing.

'Hundreds of other people will be going up by car and train — I can't get another bus anywhere, every single one has been taken.'

Mrs Joynson said those joining the march were not all taking part on the hunting issue.

'We've got little old ladies going who've never been on a march before — people are just cross at being over-ridden — there's a lot of support out there.'

Diana Moyse, of Lamerton Hunt, said she would 'easily' fill the five coaches she has booked to take to London.

She said: 'The interesting thing is it's not just supporters of hunting — it's certainly moved on from the hunting issue, especially in our area which was very badly hit by foot and mouth.

'People feel it wasn't handled properly and they just want to protest that the countryside matters.'

On Monday evening, bonfire beacons were lit at vantage points across the borough as supporters gathered in readiness for Sunday's march.

Around 200 people went to Lamerton Hunt's beacon at Bradstone Manor near Kelly, where they held a barbecue and games after the beacon was lit.

Mal Treharne, south west spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, said response to the march was 'phenomenal'.

Mr Treharne said well over 200,000 people had registered to say they would definitely be marching on Sunday.

'During the summer we had things like the jubilee and harvest etc and now people are suddenly thinking "It's this Sunday". Things are really ratcheting up now,' he said.