On Saturday some of our group headed to the Torrington Farmers Opening Meet at Webbery Barton in Alverdiscott, while others shut down two beagle packs (hare-hunters), one after the other. We were joined by friends from North Devon Wildlife & Hunt Monitors.

The first of these was the Taw Vale Beagles, who had arranged to meet at Broadmoor Farm in Warkleigh. A group of a dozen or so mostly elderly hunt followers had gathered in the farmyard, mingling as a big group for a little while before evidently deciding that they’d better not go illegally chasing hares while we’re around. Broadmoor’s hares were spared for the day.