Boxing Day hunt: Controversial tradition continues in Shropshire with Labour under pressure to honour trail hunting ban

In Newport, members from the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt set off from Newport Rugby Club while roads were also closed in Ludlow for the return of its annual hunt.

But the controversial festive tradition's days could be numbered, as the government remains under pressure over its manifesto pledge to ban trail hunting.

With traditional fox hunting banned, participants now take part in trail hunts - where packs of dogs follow an artificial scent laid during and in the days before the hunt. But Labour and animal rights campaigners claim the practice serves as a "smokescreen" for killing foxes.

The Countryside Alliance however has warned further changes to the law are “completely unjustified”, as people were carrying out a legitimate, legal activity that brought the rural community together.

Tim Bonner, the alliance’s chief executive, also said the issue of trail hunting was irrelevant to most people and it would be “extraordinary” for Labour to focus on it given the poor state of relations with rural communities.

Labour, which introduced the original ban on hunting with dogs in 2004, pledged in its manifesto this year to ban trail hunting, as part of what it says are measures to “improve animal welfare”.

A spokesperson for the Environment Department confirmed the Government planned to ban trail hunting, telling the PA news agency: “This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious animal welfare plans in a generation and that is exactly what we will do.

“We are committed to a ban on trail hunting, which is being exploited as a smokescreen to cruelly kill foxes and hares.”