MPs voted to ban foxhunting last night after a day of unprecedented drama at Parliament when protesters burst into the Commons chamber.

Amid shocking scenes, five demonstrators ran from behind the Speaker's Chair and harangued Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael as MPs debated the Hunting Bill.

One pro-hunt supporter bellowed: "This isn't democracy. You are overturning democracy."

Police later said seven men were arrested.

Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, who was in the chamber when the protesters got past security guards, said he was "shocked".

But he added: "You could tell they were not terrorists."

Conservative MP Desmond Swayne, who represents New Forest West, was also present.

He said: "I've seen people standing in the public galleries shouting and hurling things but never anything like this.

"I believe there's now going to be a thorough investigation but the protesters must have had intelligence of the layout and door locks to get in and find their way around.

"When they initially burst in it was a complete surprise. With the balcony security screen now in place we were under the impression that the chamber was secure.

"What annoys me even more is that the timetable for discussing the Hunting Bill was already tight and we lost even more time to do so. I was there to speak on the Bill."

Romsey Liberal Democrat MP Sandra Gidley gives an eerie warning of possible security problems at Parliament in her weekly article in today's Daily Echo.

She was writing about the Fathers 4 Justice Batman protest at Buckingham Palace on Monday and before yesterday's invasion of the House of Commons.

She wrote: "I am sure that the Home Secretary was speaking the truth when he mentioned that the Royal Family did not want to make the royal palaces totally inaccessible.

"I feel much the same way about the House of Commons. Despite the erection of the security screen, much of the remainder of the Palace of Westminster is very much a public building. I would not want the public to be excluded but do accept that there is a risk.

"Security could be tighter but I think that it is in proportion to the risk. To turn parts of London into fortresses with no public access would mean that the terrorists had won."

Parliament was suspended immediately the protesters entered the chamber. After it resumed, MPs voted for a ban on hunting with hounds by 356 votes to 166 in the Bill's second reading.

Mr Whitehead and Mrs Gidley plus David Chidgey (Lib Dem, Eastleigh) voted for a ban. John Denham (Lab, Southampton Itchen) would have but he was abroad. Mr Swayne, Julian Lewis (Con, New Forest East), Mark Oaten (Lib Dem, Winchester), Andrew Turner (Con, Isle of Wight) and Peter Viggers (Con, Gosport) voted against a ban.

Mark Hoban (Con, Fareham) could not attend the vote but would have opposed a ban.

Outside Parliament, there were between 8,000 and 20,000 pro-hunt protesters. There were some scuffles with police, but it was mostly peaceful.

Pony breeder James Young from Brockenhurst was among a 50-strong contingent of hunt supporters from the New Forest.

He told the Daily Echo: "I think there was some problem in one corner but we couldn't see it from where we were. The main body of the crowd was noisy and angry, but peaceful."

The vote will end centuries of tradition in the New Forest.

Hunt supporters claim scores of jobs and millions of pounds will be lost because MPs have outlawed the blood sport.

Anti-hunting campaigners claim that hunting with hounds is cruel.

Ministers propose to ban hunting with dogs - but not until July 2006.