THE Prime Minister was urged today to sit up and take notice - after 400,000 country people staged the biggest rural invasion of London ever seen.

The Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, called for the Government to listen to the demands of campaigners in yesterday's Liberty & Livelihood march.

"When I go around the villages and farms of North Yorkshire, there's a sense of frustration that nobody is listening, and the numbers taking part yesterday were a great demonstration of that," he told the Evening Press.

"The Government needs to take note and listen to what is being said."

Ryedale-based Tory Euro-MP Robert Goodwill warned Tony Blair that if he picks a fight with the countryside, it would be a fight that the countryside would finish. The message to Mr Blair was that we have told you very nicely, and if you don't pay any attention there's a real sense of frustration that may boil into trouble. Yesterday was the opening shot."

Jeremy Timm, joint master of York and Ainsty South Hunt, said it was crucial the Government sat up and took notice. "If they are a democratic and listening Government, they will have to take note of the largest civil demonstration that this country has possibly ever seen."

The Countryside Alliance, which organised yesterday's march in central London, sent an open letter to Mr Blair today calling on him to govern "for all people". The letter listed ten demands, under the heading, What The Countryside Needs, including the equality of provision of health care, education and public security between rural and urban areas, and the reversal of the disintegration of local communities.

Updated: 11:31 Monday, September 23, 2002