A ?HUGE? crowd of supporters filled Tavistock?s Bedford Square on Boxing Day, to watch the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt set off on their traditional meet. Despite confusion caused by a lack of traffic diversion, organisers were delighted with the success of the meet, the first since the hunting ban was introduced ten months ago. Guy Morlock, Spooners master, said: ?We had a very good day and there was huge support. There was slight confusion as the police didn?t divert the traffic ? as far as we were concerned we informed everyone that we normally do that the meet would be happening, but somewhere along the line communication must have broken down, so I?ll be contacting the police to make sure there isn?t any confusion for next year.? Mr Morlock said the lack of traffic diversion meant hunters did not stay in the square for quite as long as normal and moved off towards Whitchurch Down fairly quickly, to follow an already prepared drag hunt. ?We had laid a line basically around the back of the golf course, up towards Pew Tor and out through Merrivale. It was a good day and the weather was absolutely stunning,? said Mr Morlock. No anti-hunt protesters attended the event. A police spokesman said there had been a few traffic hold-ups due to the meet ? liaison with the hunt organisers were continuing following the event. There was also good support at Okehampton for the Eggesford Hunt?s Boxing Day meet.
