60 follow Boxing Day hunt

More than 60 people followed the South Notts Hunt on Boxing Day.

The hunt met on the green at Car Colston at 11am before horses and hounds ran out in the surrounding countryside.

The acting secretary of the hunt, Mrs Angela Hardstaff, said the turnout had slightly increased from the meet held the same day last year.

The hunt will also be meeting on New Year’s Day in Newark Market Place.

The Grove and Rufford Hunt could not meet in Retford Market Place as it had hoped as police banned it on health and safety grounds and the cost of policing the event.

The hunt master, Colonel George Vere-Laurie, of Carlton-on-Trent, said: “They were the only police in the UK to take this view.

“We met in a field by Retford Football Club. There was good parking and plenty of room.

“The field was owned by our chairman, David Brown.

“There were about 70 mounted and up to 1,000 on foot.

“It was a good turnout. I think there was a feeling that we had not been treated even handedly.”

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire police said the hunt could have gone ahead if the organisers were prepared to pay for policing, as football clubs do.