THOUSANDS of supporters turned up at the Hampshire Hunt on Saturday to defy the new law outlawing foxhunting.

The pro-hunters were keen to show their disgust at the new Hunting Act, which makes the blood sport illegal.

The turnout mirrored the strength of support nationally, which saw thousands attend 184 meets around the country, in which 91 foxes were legally killed.

Organisers of the Hampshire Hunt, at Preston Candover, near Alresford, say one fox was shot dead. Police remained on standby throughout, but despite fears of disruption by anti-hunt campaigners, the meet passed off without incident.

Instead of chasing a fox, the "hunt" kept "within the law", with around 60 horseback riders set chasing a pre-laid scent line.

Before they and the hounds set off, the crowds gathered in the sunshine in front of Moundsmere Manor to hear a rousing address from Giles Harrap, a member of the Hampshire Hunt.

Rubbishing the ban as "ridiculous", he pledged the "hunt" would go on for another 200 years and to cheers from the crowd of all ages, boomed: "I am sure, ladies and gentlemen, that the Hunting Act will not be with us for 200 years."

Sara Rutherford, of the Countryside Alliance, said the turnout, believed to be over 2,000, demonstrated the anger people felt about the new legislation and their determination to continue hunting.

"As far as we're concerned, this is a temporary measure before the ban is overturned. It looks the same, smells the same, but this isn't hunting," she added.

The hunt supporter also explained that she believed the new form of hunting would lead to more foxes being killed. "A wily fox will outrun a pack of hounds, but never a bullet."

Andrew Joy, of Bentley, near Alton, added: "The surest and quickest way to kill a fox is with hounds. Foxes are vicious killers that need to be controlled." Mr Joy pointed out that he had followed the hunt for several years and never "seen a fox killed".

Others were less optimistic. Katharine MacMahon (15), who has been hunting for five seasons, said: "Realistically, I think this might be the end of hunting. It's awful. It's prejudiced against the countryside."

Margaret Stanford, from Alton and involved with the hunt for many years, added: "It's terrible. This is centuries of English tradition that is going to be lost."

John Maxse, whose parents were both hunt masters, said he believed the Government had ignored research, which said hunting was no more cruel to foxes than other methods, such as shooting and trapping.

"If you ban hunting, who is benefiting? Not the fox," he said, adding that the ban would lead to thousands of livelihoods being affected, such as blacksmiths, hunt staff and horse breeders and hound-keepers.

Sergeant Shaun Stinson said there were five officers on duty at the meet, which had not shown any signs of being confrontational. But at the Hursley Hambledon meet at Owslebury, near Winchester, one anti-hunt supporter said the mood was different.

Diane Cooper (50), one of five protesters at the Longwood Estate, where there were over 1,000 supporters, claimed hunt supporters drove towards she and partner, Graham, before swerving away. "I don't think they had the intention to hit us - just to scare us."

Later, she claimed, two further women in her party were narrowly missed by a Land Rover. A member of the League Against Cruel Sports, added that the police did not appear to be monitoring the hunt in the way she'd hoped.

Ms Cooper, from Swanmore, added that the ban didn't go far enough. "They're still flushing out foxes, which is hunting. There should be a complete ban."

Meanwhile, there was also a strong show of support in the New Forest on Thursday, when a record turnout of 230 on horseback and 500 foot followers arrived at the Royal Oak pub at Fritham for the last legal hunt before the ban.

Campaigners are continuing to campaign to have the Act repealed. The Countryside Alliance plans to lodge an appeal to the House of Lords and is taking the issue to the European Court of Human Rights.