Bid to ‘fix’ National Trust hunting vote

ANTI-HUNT activists have stepped up their campaign to stop trail hunting on National Trust land by posting fake Trust notices at the charity’s properties urging members to back a ban. Trail hunting – started 12 years ago after Labour banned hounds from killing foxes during hunts – is a legal sport involving hounds and riders following a trail of fox scent. But Trust members opposed to hunting claim foxes are still being killed by trail hunts and have secured a vote to ban it at the Trust’s AGM in two weeks.

Tensions are running high because the Trust’s board of 12 trustees wishes for the practice to continue and recommends members vote against a ban.

The bogus notices look like official Trust announcements with the oak leaf and acorn logo.

One of the fake signs, posted in the Lake District, is pictured on the left. Others suggest the Trust allows illegal hunts, saying: ‘Trail hunting a licence to kill.’

The posters have confused some Trust members and upset the charity’s hierarchy. Staff have been told to remove them.

Tim Bonner, leader of the Countryside Alliance, said: ‘The distribution of fake National Trust posters is the worst example of a campaign being waged totally on the basis of lies and misinformation. The anti- hunt movement, including many organisations that claim to act as charities, is scraping the bottom of a very deep barrel.’

Philippa King, head of the League Against Cruel Sports, which has denied involvement in the posters, said: ‘It’s time for the Trust to listen to its members who have had enough of hunts continuing to get away with killing animals.’

A National Trust spokesman said: ‘To be clear, we do not allow illegal hunting.’