A strong message was sent out at the annual New Year’s Day meet of the Monmouthshire Hunt.

Meeting for the first time since the proposal to ban trail hunting was included in the government’s animal welfare bill, Master Huntsman Charlie Dando told the crowd gathered at the Castle’s parade square “Our fight is real now” adding that the Labour government want to “destroy everything in the countryside” .

“We all need to stand together and unite: when the time comes everyone needs to be counted.

“Don’t do it for me” he added, “ do it for them” pointing to the hounds.

A collection was made for the Monmouth Flood appeal.

He thanked the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers for allowing them to meet on their grounds.