WEST Devon hunts and hunting supporters were among the thousands who gathered on Honiton Showground last weekend, united in their opposition to the Government's Hunting Bill.

The meeting, organised by the Countryside Alliance, was the largest of 12 similar events held throughout the country.

More than 4,000 of those attending the meeting set down their intention to defy any ban on hunting by signing the Alliance's Hunting Declaration, which pledges to break the law by continuing to hunt.

Guy Morlock, master of the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt, said around 100 members and supporters of the hunt travelled to Honiton for the meeting.

Mr Morlock said: 'It was very good — it was certainly defiant, but it was also optimistic. I suppose it depends on what papers you read as to what will happen — we will just have to sit and wait.'

Mr Morlock said if the Bill ever became law, it would affect his livelihood in all respects.

'My house, my work and everything else depends on hunting — it's a horrible waiting game,' he said.

He said he signed the declaration and was quite prepared to break the law and hunt.

'I wouldn't break other laws but I would that one. To barricade motorways and slow traffic down I think is morally indefensible, but hunting doesn't affect anyone else, hardly anyone ever notices when we're out anyway,' said Mr Morlock, who thought the vast majority of Spooners members and supporters had also signed the declaration.

Chairman of Lamerton Foxhounds, Michael Bickell, said the mood of the meeting was both positive and unanimous in its rejection of the Bill.

'People can't understand why the Government wants to ban hunting — it just doesn't make sense,' he said.

'The meeting went extremely well. There were about 7,000 people there, I think there were about 600 horses, most of the West Country packs were represented and I think in excess of 4,000 people signed the declaration.'

Mr Bickell said he too signed the Countryside Alliance's pledge to defy a hunting ban.

'My stance is I can't understand why this government is putting so much time into such a trivial thing,' he said.

Mr Bickell said in his view, there were far more important issues which should be put at the top of the political agenda.

'We've just come back from Australia and passport control coming into Heathrow was absolutely pathetic — there was food rubbish on the floor and after foot and mouth, sorting that sort of thing out should be far more important than a fox,' said Mr Bickell.

The Hunting Bill, which seeks to ban hunting with dogs, ran out of time in the Lords last week, after peers introduced a series of amendments which would allow hunting under license.

Although more than 150 MPs have signed a Commons motion to reinstate the Bill, as yet, no decision has been made on its future.