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18/08/24 Trail hunting, Blackberries, Lapwings

As trail hunts showcase their sport to the public, animal rights campaigners call for the government to ban it - they say it's a smokescreen for real hunting.

It is 20 years since fox hunting was banned by Tony Blair鈥檚 Government. Since then, those who enjoyed the sport have adapted to trail hunting instead. That is where a trail is laid across countryside for hounds and horse riders to follow. There is no kill at the end. However animal rights campaigners say trail hunting is a smokescreen for real hunting and Labour said it would ban trail hunting in its manifesto. The public were invited to attend trail hunts around the country to see how it works. We hear from people on both sides of the debate.

Autumn is the natural peak-time for blackberries and picking them from the hedgerows, is one of those end of summer family outings, marking a seasonal shift. Farmers are also growing blackberries now - they're very different from the wild variety - huge, tasty, but obviously, not free. So is it worth buying blackberries? We speak to one grower.

A conservation and farming charity, the Countryside Regeneration Trust is calling on the government to re-assess its advice about providing habitat for endangered lapwings. At the moment farmers get paid to help lapwings nest by making clear squares in the middle of cereal crops, but the CRT believe that鈥檚 not helping numbers increase, because the surrounding habitat doesn鈥檛 provide enough food for the birds.

Presenter = Anna Hill
Producer = Rebecca Rooney

14 minutes

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  • Wed 18 Sep 2024 05:45

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