THE huntsmen and women of the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt swept into Tavistock?s Bedford Square on Monday for what has been billed the last festive season meet before the implementation of a hunting ban next February. Horses and hounds arrived to a loud cheer from a large waiting crowd ? and whistles and boos from a small but vocal group of anti-hunt protestors. There was a heavy police presence in Plymouth Road, but the meet went off without any clashes. Jeers echoed around the street outside the Bedford Hotel and taunts of ?18 February ? don?t forget? were directed at the horsemen and women by the protestors, who persistently questioned the hunters over the amount of hounds shot this year. The protest did not seem to affect the hunt members, including international modern pentathlete and Olympic medallist Kate Allenby, sticking by her intention to continue hunting, ban or no ban. They all rode off smiling broadly, accompanied by further cheers from the crowd. One bystander, Ginger White, said the act banning hunting was ?shocking?. Mr White, a former farmer who has enjoyed hunting with both Spooners and Lamerton hunts and has been an enthusiastic hunt follower for almost 60 years, said: ?It?s a way of life ? I think it?s shocking they should try to ban it, why should we give it up?? Guy Morlock, master of the Spooners and West Dartmoor, said the rousing reception given the hunt, and the equally supportive send off, was ?very pleasing?. He said: ?Certainly to come round the corner and be met with that big cheer made me feel quite emotional about it. ?All in all I was very pleased with the support we had down there. I think the majority of people couldn?t care about hunting either way, but the vast majority of people in the square would be sad to see it go.? Mr Morlock said around 45 horsemen and women were out, hunting around Taviton and Merrivale before fog closed in. One ?rather mangy? fox was caught on the day. ?The fit and healthy ones all escape,? said Mr Morlock. At one point, hounds were heading one way while a fox disappeared in the other, much to the entertainment of the hunt followers, he added. Hunting with dogs is due to be outlawed from February 18, after the Parliament Act was used this autumn to force through a ban in the face of opposition in the House of Lords. But the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance has applied for an injunction while it lodges legal appeals against the new law in the Lords and in Europe on human rights grounds. The legal wrangling could take many months, which will see foxhunting continue until the issue is finally settled. Sandy Moorhouse, of the South West Against Bloodsports group, said they were calling on Prince Charles, who owned threequarters of Dartmoor on which the hunt would be riding that day, to ?take leadership? over the hunting issue. She said Prince Charles should insist the hunt obey the new law banning ?sadistic bloodsports? which had been signed by his mother, the Queen. Mrs Moorhouse said SWAB was also ?very disappointed? that the League Against Cruel Sports had not joined its protest. SWAB was joined by the Liskeard-based Animal Information Bureau. Its spokesman said: ?We are just opposed to animal cruelty ? cruelty is cruelty and that?s all this is.? Ivor Annetts, spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, said the group had not organised any protests for Boxing Meets this year. ?We have won the argument against hunting. It?s going to be banned, it?s on the statute books, there?s no point in our protesting. Our people are having a bit of a rest and a bit of a celebration,? he said. ABOVE RIGHT: Hunt master Guy Morlock arrives with the Spooners and West Dartmoor. TOP LEFT: Protestors voice their opposition as the hunt gathers. BOTTOM LEFT: Applause from hunt supporters. Pictures by James Bird