Thousands of people lined the streets of Lewes this morning for the Boxing Day hunt.

Members of the Southdown and Eridge hunt thundered into the town to the applause of supporters.

They congregated in High Street outside the White Hart Hotel at 11am before heading out of the town and on to the South Downs.

The support came despite today's news there is not enough support among MPs to repeal the ban on fox hunting.

Environmental secretary Owen Paterson said hunt supporters must do more work to win around sceptics.