Hunt cancelled in the South Shropshire hills

The trust put the announcement that the remaining dates of the season were cancelled on its website.

There were set to be trail hunting events on January 8 and 29, but they will no longer go ahead.

It comes after a photographs were taken by Shropshire-based protestors of foxes escaping from hounds in December.

The League Against Cruel Sports, which wrote to Long Mynd’s General Manager, urging the conservation body to body to block those seeking to hunt wildlife on its land, has welcomed the cancellation of the South Shropshire Hunt’s meets.

Opposed

Chris Luffingham, Director of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The Long Mynd Estate is to be commended for ensuring the license granted for the South Shropshire Hunt to access its land has now been cancelled.

"This outcome reflects strong public opposition to the practice – with 85 per cent of people opposed to hunting fox with hounds."

Eighteen hunting licenses allowing horses, hounds and followers access to sections of National Trust properties are still active across England and Wales. These include nature reserves and conservation areas, home to vulnerable fauna and flora, which the trust maintains.

Mr Luffingham said: "By cancelling its hunting licence for the South Shropshire Hunt to meet on its land, the Long Mynd Estate has done the right thing and we hope other National Trust properties will follow suit.

"There is no doubt the considerable number of National Trust members, visitors and employees, as well as the wider public, now expect the cancellation of all remaining hunting licenses as a matter of urgency.”