Restaurant in hunt boycott storm

The call follows protests over a Holcombe Hunt dinner due to be held at the Smithills Coaching House on Thursday night.

Anti-hunt activists, who staged a demonstration, claimed a victory when the dinner was cancelled.

But representatives of the North West Campaign Against Bloodsports were furious when Labour councillor Cliff Morris, who runs the Coaching House, refused to give an assurance that future hunt events would not be given the go-ahead.

Spokesman Sarah Deane said: "I find it incredible that a Labour councillor could allow this sort of thing to go on because hunting is against Labour Party policy and the council has banned fox hunting on its land." The protesters went on to the home of Mr Paul Knight, the Point to Point Secretary of the Holcombe Harriers.

Mr Knight, of Lower House Farm, Lostock, said the family were having their evening meal when the protesters arrived on the property.

Said Mr Knight: "As we were eating, with the curtains open, this jeering mob started peering and banging on the windows. This hardly constitutes a demonstration and was more an attempt to intimidate me and my family."

Mr Knight asked them to leave but they only did so after police arrived.

Mr Knight said the hunt dinner was cancelled because of a problem with the speaker.

Labour has pledged to ban hunting with hounds if it becomes the next government. But Cllr Morris said although he is opposed to bloodsports, he could not give an assurance to the protesters because he would need the agreement of fellow directors of the company which owns the Coaching House.

And he said the dinner was originally booked as a sportsman's dinner and there was no reference to hunting.

Ian Rayner, who organised the event, insisted: "The dinner will be held in the New Year."

COMMENT: P6

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