More than 50,000 hunters and their supporters will take to the field on Saturday vowing to test the Government's ban to breaking point. The fox hunting season officially starts today.

Campaigners say that hunts have been openly flouting the law in the pre-season period using hounds to chase and kill stags and foxes in open acts of defiance. Dozens of hunts are exploiting a loophole in the new law by continuing to hunt using birds of prey - outraging animal rights campaigners and professional falconers alike.