The government is facing fresh calls to strengthen trail hunting laws ahead of Boxing Day parades across the UK.
Activists are once again urging government ministers to close a hunting “loophole”.
The calls to tighten hunting laws comes ahead of the many Boxing Day parades expected to be held nationwide today, and comes after the League Against Cruel Sports recently revealed there were 303 combined incidents of hunt havoc – which is defined as trespass, road interference, and disturbing animals – between the dates 1 November and 7 December.
Boxing Day is widely considered to be the biggest day in the hunting calendar, with more than 200 hunts expected to parade through UK high streets, before they head out to the countryside.
Fox hunting was banned in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004, but hounds are still allowed to follow a scented cloth instead – which is called trail hunting.
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Although more a total of 438 convictions under the Hunting Act have been secured over a decade – with 42 secured last year – the League Against Cruel Sports said incidents of illegal fox hunting have still been recorded between the period of 1 November and 7 December.
The animal charity revealed that it received 78 reports of a fox being visibly pursued, eight reported kills, and three suspected kills.
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The government is facing fresh calls to strengthen trail hunting laws ahead of Boxing Day parades / Credit: Ashley van Haeften (via Flickr)
League Against Cruel Sports campaigns chief Emma Judd argued their figures show hunting has a “negative impact” on rural communities.
She said it’s “time for change”.
“People will see the hunts out today and not know that behind the finery is a so-called sport that sees public lives endangered on roads and railways, livestock worried by out-of-control hounds, and in some cases domestic pets killed,” Ms Judd added.
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“Only by strengthening the law on hunting can communities, wildlife and rural values be protected.”
Between November 1 and December 7 this year, 303 reports of either suspected #IllegalHunting or #HuntHavoc have been reported. That's in just five and a half weeks.
But Polly Portwin, head of the Countryside Alliance’s Campaign for Hunting – which is calling for the bloodsport to return – argued that now is not the time to be discussing hunting legislation.
She said: “There have been hundreds of thousands of days of legal trail hunting carried out by hunts since the Hunting Act came into force.
“Only someone with extremely warped priorities could think that with the country facing a cost of living crisis, the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and political instability that now is a good time to start discussing hunting legislation.”
Activists are once again urging government ministers to close a hunting “loophole” / Credit: Kentish Plumber (via Flickr)
Labour said it believes trail hunting is being used as a “smokescreen” for the illegal hunting of foxes.
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Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said the government must “do more to close the loopholes” and “consign hunting to the history books”, adding that: “Labour is the party of animal welfare and in government, we will go further to protect animal welfare by putting an end to trail hunting.”
Countryside Alliance chair Nick Herbert accused Labour of harbouring a “pointless political vendetta against hunting” and that the party’s position on it is “utterly illogical.”
“Labour is drawing battle lines in the countryside when it should be trying to unite the country,” he added.
At this time, the UK government appears to have no plans to strengthen the legislation.
Addressing the fresh calls from anti-hunting activists, a government spokesman said: “The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs, and anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police.
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“Those found guilty under the act are subject to the full force of the law.”
Middleton to receive a cinema and Metrolink as part of regeneration plans
Thomas Melia
Greater Manchester town Middleton is about to undergo a huge facelift thanks to a new regeneration project, including a new cinema and Metrolink tram station.
Middleton is one of many bustling communities that make up the borough of Rochdale, and with these new plans, the town might receive a fair few new visitors who want to know what it’s all about.
The Greater Manchester town is undergoing a huge transformation with regeneration plans confirming that Middleton will receive a brand new cinema complex along with an extended Metrolink line as part of the Bee Network expansion covering this area.
This is all thanks to Middleton teaming up with the Mayor to launch the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which pushes forward regeneration plans for the town and future ideas.
Middleton Shopping Centre right in the heart of the town centre.Middleton Town Centre bustling as the markets take place.Credit: Steven Haslington (via Geograph)/@Rept0n1x (via Flickr)
The MDC considers lots of aspects of the town and even aims to create new homes and improve surrounding public spaces.
Middleton regeneration plans have been floated previously, but complications arose due to a lack of land and available funding, which ultimately brought these foundations to a halt.
Now it seems the green light has been lifted and Middleton is about to get a whole new facelift, which will not only improve the town economically but aesthetically too, along with the wider Rochdale region.
For many Middletonians, the idea of a cinema may have felt like a distant memory, with their last big screen location shutting down just over a decade ago.
This all-new high street regeneration will not only bring an array of shopping favourites back to the town centre but also the long-awaited return of a local cinema. Most importantly, the plans also include a slate of new housing, with an estimated 300 apartments set to be created in one building alone.
Early CGIs of the proposed Middleton regeneration plans.Grade II-listed Warwick Mill looks set to be turned into flats.Credit: Publicity Picture (supplied)
This all falls in line with the ‘Atom Valley scheme‘, which has been commissioned in order to generate over 20,000 job opportunities for people in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.
The scheme also mentions how it aims to bring a combined economic boost of around £1 billion to these previously mentioned areas.
Rochdale Borough Council leader, Neil Emmott, said: “The development of 1.2 million square metres of employment space around the junction 19 area will help to generate 20,000 high-quality jobs and bring a £1 billion economic boost.”
Featured Image — Publicity Pictures (supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)
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Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date
Thomas Melia
British boyband Scouting For Girls are heading out on an extensive UK tour with dates up and down the country, including right here in Manchester.
If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this headline is “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know how we’ll make it through this”, then you’re on the right side of history.
Nearly 20 years since their single ‘She’s So Lovely’ reached catastrophic heights and had everyone putting on their best Roy Stride accent, Scouting For Girls are heading back on the road.
This UK tour announcement comes two years after their last project, The Place We Used To Meet, reached our ears and was coined by the band as “Our best work since our debut”.
It’s been 18 years since this Brit trio captivated our hearts with their eponymous debut album, which sold over one million copies and went number one on the UK official charts for two weeks.
Whether you know them for ‘Heartbeat’ or ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, it’s clear to say this band had their fair share of smash hit singles throughout the noughties.
This tour, however, celebrates the sophomore follow-up: Everybody Wants To Be On TV, which went on to continue their legacy and secure them their only number one, ‘This Ain’t A Love Song’, back in 2010.
Now, the boys are treating UK fans to an array of live performances, and if you can’t make one date, fear not because there are 20 different locations for you to choose from.
The group will also be playing the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle and a whole host of other Northern cities, so you have plenty of chances to catch them.
If you can’t wait all the way until March 2026 for your next Scouting For Girls fix, lead singer Stride has his own cameo account where you can get the star to read out a message or even sing you a song: “‘Michaela Strachan’ in full, please?…”
Scouting For Girls are coming to O2 Apollo in Manchester on 21 March 2026, with tickets going on sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
26th December 2022 
