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Animal rights campaigners have demanded the National Trust reverse its decision to allow trail hunting on its land in Cornwall.

Animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports has written a letter to the Trust urging it to cancel the new licence that it has issued for the West Cornwall estate.

The licence allows trail hunts to take place on a number of dates from now until April next year.

Trail hunting involves an artificial scent being placed through the countryside before being followed by a pack of hounds along with people on foot and horseback.

While trail hunting does not involve the hunting or killing of foxes or other wild animals, the League Against Cruel Sports believes animals are still being unlawfully killed during such events and claims that the National Trust is not doing enough to prevent it.

The criticism comes after there was huge outcry when an elderly couple and their dog were attacked by a pack of dogs at Church Cove, Gunwallloe, south of Helston on the Lizard in January of last year. The site is also owned by the National Trust, which licensed the Cury Hunt to use its land.

It asked the hunt to stop its activities while it undertook a review of the incident and its agreement over the use of its land. Witnesses reported that the couple's grehound was chased by several hounds. While huntsmen attempted to bring them under control, onlookers described how the dogs turned on the greyhound's owner who fended them off with his wife's walking stick and was said to have been bitten.

The Trust confirmed that the hunt was not using its land on the day but took its dogs to the cove to wash off the horses and hounds. Police investigated and the Cury Hunt said it "very much regretted" the incident.

(Image: Anthony Devlin/PA)

After the new decision, Chris Luffingham, director of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The West Cornwall estate is a local treasure which showcases British nature at its best. Allowing a hunt to trample across the land, taking part in an activity which many people believe involves the killing of animals, completely goes against that philosophy.

“With over 85% of the public opposing all forms of hunting wild animals with hounds – including a considerable number of National Trust members and visitors to properties like the West Cornwall estate – it is high time the conservation body provided protection to wildlife by stopping licensing hunting on its land.”

The licence granted on the West Cornwall estate covers pockets of land near Porthmeor as well as a large patch of land across the Penwith Moors, including Little Galver, White Downs, Watch Croft and Rosemergy.

Mr Luffingham added: “It’s sad that this licence has been issued. But now it’s been done, the National Trust estate need to show their members and the public how they will ensure that animals are safe on their land. We need to hear from them as to exactly how they will prevent foxes being killed by the hunt.”

The National Trust website states: “Hunting wild animals was outlawed in England and Wales by the Hunting Act of 2004: National Trust land is no exception.”

It adds: “We believe the overwhelming majority of hunts act responsibly, and we hope our clear, robust, and transparent set of conditions will allow participants to enjoy this activity in compatibility with our conservation aims.”

But the League Against Cruel Sports claimed that the Trust isn’t doing enough to protect the animals on its land.

Cornwall Live contacted the National Trust to ask what measures were in place to stop animals being injured or killed during trail hunts and to enquire as to whether the Trust would consider banning future licences, but it refused to answer.