NORTH Yorkshire residents could decide the future of foxhunting in the county through local referendums being planned by the Government.

The proposals, being considered by ministers, could get the Government off the hook after the collapse of a Private Members' Bill to outlaw hunting with hounds.

The suggestion was today welcomed by animal lovers across rural North Yorkshire, but hunt supporters say it would be completely unworkable.

York Animal Aid campaigner Alan Robertshaw said: "The majority of people, in York anyway, are clearly opposed and if it was left up to them I'm very confident that hunting would be banned."

He said the continuation of the practice was down to a powerful minority.

Ryedale MP John Greenway said the proposal would be totally unworkable.

"How do you criminalise the actions of hundreds of thousands of people who need to keep the numbers of foxes down? With referendums it would become like America, with neighbouring counties governed by different rules. What would happen in the boundaries?

"The idea is a madness and it would cause conflict."

John Haigh, from Thirsk, a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance, organisers of this year's Countryside March demonstration, said there was still massive popular support for hunting.

"We organised the Countryside March, which I think had great effect on government thinking. The last time there was an anti-hunting march in London, they got 3,000 people. We got 300,000."

Tommy Woodward, of Thornton Dale, a member of the local branch of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "I don't think anyone in the animal rights movement is happy with this idea. We didn't elect a government to opt out of making decisions. I don't think it will appease anyone."

He said that before the election, Labour had promised to end hunting on Forestry Commission and MOD land, which it had failed to do so. Ryedale's Derwent Hunt partially use Forestry Commission land.

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