AN ANTI-HUNT group in South Gloucestershire has vowed to set up a Crimewatch-style campaign to ensure hunts comply with the new ban.

The Cotswold Support Group for the Abolition of Hunting made the announcement after the ban on hunting with dogs came into force last Friday.

Group co-founder Linda Graham said "The League Against Cruel Sports will lead the way with their recently launched Hunt Crime Watch scheme using monitors to gather evidence of illegal hunting for successful prosecutions."

And she urged wildlife lovers to use their eyes and ears to ensure the ban was enforced.

Other anti-hunt groups have also voiced their support for the ban and are now asking hunters to abide by the law and adopt cruelty-free equestrian sports such as drag or trail hunting instead.

RSPCA director of animal welfare promotion John Rolls added: "The pro-hunt Countryside Alliance has lost its argument with the public, with Parliament and in the courts. It should now advise its members that they too will lose their argument with the police and the RSPCA if offences under the Hunting Act are committed."

However, enforcing the ban may prove arduous as a new survey claims 68 percent of people in South Gloucestershire are against the ban.

An e-survey produced by Northavon Conservatives has been emailed to over 1,000 registered emails, representing all political parties, throughout South Gloucestershire.

People are asked to answer yes, no or unsure to the question: "Do you think the Government is right to ban hunting with hounds?"

Chris Butt,the prospective parliamentary candidate for Northavon Conservatives, said: "Politicians must reflect and be more in tune with local public opinion and e-survey will be an important tool in collecting information." The survey can be found at www.northavonconservatives.org.uk

A HUNT-MONITOR had the tyres of his car slashed during the Beaufort Hunt meet at Worcester Lodge, Badminton, on Saturday.

Four people on a quad bikes approached the monitor and words were exchanged. The anti-hunt campaigner later discovered a tyre on his car had been slashed. Police from Chipping Sodbury are now investigating the incident.

Sgt Andy McIllrath of Chipping Sodbury Police told the Gazette the force would deal with any crimes committed by both hunt supporters and hunt-monitors on an equal level although crimes committed against the Hunt Act would not receive top priority.

He said: "Crimes committed against this act are on the same scale as parking crimes so while we will investigate incidents involving hunts going out an observing them will not be our priority." * See page 20