The Daily Telegraph

National Trust hunt warning

- By Christophe­r Hope

THE Countrysid­e Alliance has warned the National Trust it risks being mired in “years of conflict” if a proposal to ban trail hunting is backed by members today.

Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the countrysid­e campaign group, warned that other field sports, such as grouse shooting and fishing, could also face bans. There are already talks about a new campaign among environmen­talists to ban grouse shooting on two National Trust moors in Derbyshire.

Baroness Mallalieu, the alliance’s president and a member of the National Trust, said that “from being regarded as the custodian of our countrysid­e, the charity is well on the way to being seen as the manager of a bland and sanitised theme park”. As many as 500 members

are expected to attend to vote in person at the meeting today in Swindon.

Mr Bonner told The Daily Telegraph: “Any decision to ban trail hunting on National Trust land would launch years of conflict within the trust as hunting members seek to reassert the right to hunt on land which has been hunted for generation­s. If the trust did bow to this prejudiced campaign and ban hunting it is already clear that there will be motions to ban shooting, fishing and anything else that offends animal rights sensibilit­ies in future years.”

Simon Hart, a Tory MP and a former chief executive of the Countrysid­e Alliance, added: “A decade of hostilitie­s between the National Trust and its tenants and closest supporters would be an inevitable consequenc­e of being bullied by online campaigner­s.”

But Philippa King, acting chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “If people want to hunt – legally – they can do so by going drag hunting, which is a non-lethal sport with 200 years of tradition, and which will not be prevented by this motion.

“National Trust land should be available for everyone to enjoy – but killing animals for fun is no longer an acceptable countrysid­e pursuit.”

A National Trust spokesman said: “Members will have the opportunit­y to vote on and discuss trail hunting and the A303 at Stonehenge during the AGM.”

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