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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
“Those found guilty under the act are subject to the full force of the law.”
There’s a World Gravy Wrestling Championship near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
Just on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, there’s a country pub set in a rural village that hosts a world gravy wrestling championship.
Leave it to us northerners to organise a world gravy wrestling championship because let’s face it, there’s nothing more northern than plummeting yourself into bucket loads of gravy.
At The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in the village of Stacksteads, it’s not just their meals they’re drenching in the brown nectar; they drench any willing guest in this beige saucy goodness too as part of the World Gravy Wrestling Championships.
Here’s a little taster from nearly a decade ago.
Participants are expected to wrestle in the gravy for two minutes, with the winner being judged not only on their play-fighting skills but also on their choice of fancy dress, comedy effect and entertainment.
Past wrestlers have rocked up as zebras, racehorse jockeys and famous TV characters like Ali G and Mickey Mouse.
Each wrestler is encouraged to raise money on behalf of a charity of their choice, but if you don’t have one, donations will be sent to East Lancashire Hospice, which has helped people countywide suffering from life-limiting illness for the past 30 years.
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships have been held outside this very pub for over a decade, with the first ever event taking place at a car park in Wigan before it found a permanent home outside The Rose ‘N’ Bowl.
And if swimming in a pool of gravy isn’t for you, don’t fret because there’s a handful of sauce-free activities you can get involved with spread throughout the pub’s car park.
Fret not, past events have included bouncy castles, cheerleading performances, craft beer stalls, cake and tombola stands and even a BB gun shooting range that are all completely gravy-free.
There will even be help from a local fire brigade who will be on hand to wash down wrestlers in between their gravy-filled tournament, so they can wander round all the stalls too.
The 2025 World Gravy Wrestling Championships are coming to The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in Stacksteads on 25 August, with tickets available in person only, but plenty of information about the event HERE.
If you’re after signing up to be one of the wrestlers at this event, applications are still open and you can get stuck in with all the details you need HERE.
And if that wasn’t enough Northern food competitive action, we’ll catch you at the World Black Pudding Hurling Championships, innabit.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a million-pound Victorian-style mansion that has 10 bedrooms and its own personal swimming pool just outside of Greater Manchester.
Just like the childhood nursery rhyme, “There were three in the bed and the little one said… there’s another seven beds, roll over!” or at least that’s how they remember it in this character property.
Located in Warrington, less than an hour away from Manchester city centre, this property is a semi-detached Victorian property built in 1860, with 10 bedrooms and its own private swimming pool, all spread across four floors.
As soon as you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn to the sleek silver chandelier before you notice the grand staircase, which feels like a piece of living history.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market)
The ground floor hosts two of a whopping 10 bedrooms alongside a teal-toned farmhouse-style kitchen and that extremely impressive swimming pool with its own built-in projector.
In the kitchen, the focal point is the large wrap-around kitchen unit, which is accompanied by a variety of hanging lights and a big central island.
On the way to the swimming pool, there are a handful of lockers identical to those found in a leisure and as you enter the room, your eyes are drawn to the island-inspired feature wall.
Venture upstairs to the first floor and you’re greeted by five spacious bedrooms with one having its own en-suite while the rest share a main bathroom.
Each of these bedrooms follows a completely different design style, with the largest following a muted grey palette with pops of yellow thanks to the artwork and bed accessories.
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
As you go upstairs again, you’ll find (you guessed it) even more bedrooms, three to be exact, with the standout
The stand-out of this second floor is the navy-walled bedroom with a vintage vanity unit, patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and a similarly dark-blue rug to match its four walls.
Another flight of stairs and you’ve finally reached the top of this property, and there’s an LED-lined ceiling and a neutral bedroom colour scheme of greys, whites and everything in between.
There are various amenities nearby, including three schools and three train stations… for if you get fed up of strolling around your four-floored ten-bed, swimming pool-owning mansion.
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
We know this property may not be in the price range and might not be affordable for a lot of readers, ourselves included, but we can dream, right?
You can check out this Victorian mansion and flick through even more pictures of this property – Snooping never hurt anybody? Official site HERE.
As always, make sure to check out The Manc‘s property page to check all the other stunning structures currently on sale/in progress across Greater Manchester and in the nearby North West.
Emily Sergeant -
26th December 2022 
