Pro-hunt protesters who dumped rotting animal carcasses in Brighton have been fined a total of £247.

Animal rights groups have branded the punishment "astonishing".

Stuart Trousdale and Jamie Butcher made their protest during last month's Labour Party conference, less than an hour before pro-hunt supporters marched on the Brighton Centre, where Tony Blair was making a speech appealing for his party to unite.

Two calves and a cow were dumped near the fountain in Steine Gardens and a dead horse was left in Queen's Road, near Brighton station.

A placard sticking out of the horse was printed with the warning: "If you find this disgusting, you will see a lot more if they ban hunting."

At Brighton Magistrates' Court, the two men, both from the Isle of Wight, admitted a charge of disorderly behaviour on September 28, causing harassment, alarm or distress.

They faced up to six months in jail or a fine of £5,000.

But kennel huntsman Trousdale, 33, of Gatcombe, Newport, was fined £80 and Butcher, 39, a builder of Ashley Road, Ryde, was fined £167. Both were ordered to pay £70 costs.

John Rolls, director of the RSPCA's animal welfare promotion, said: "The actions of these two, who callously dumped the carcasses on the streets of Brighton, showed a complete disregard for both animals, decency and the views of 76 per cent of the public who believe hunting with dogs should be illegal.

"While we are glad Sussex Police treated this case with gravity and brought it swiftly to court, we are astonished the offence has resulted in the imposition of such a small penalty by Brighton magistrates."

Ken Bodfish, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "I think it is an inadequate fine for the distress caused to many animal-lovers, particularly children. This was an outrageous act."

Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper said he was shocked at the punishment and called for tougher laws to deal with such offensive crimes.

He said: "These people went beyond what anybody would think were civilised standards."

Animal rights campaigner Mary Frankel confronted the men as they left the court, in Edward Street.

Mrs Frankel, 64, of Benson Court, Hove, said: "People have been fined more for throwing cigarette butts on the ground."

David Packer, prosecuting, told the court witnesses were moved to tears by what they saw. The men dragged the carcasses from the back of a pick-up truck at about 11.30am in front of children playing around the fountain.

Caf owner Tracey Jansen described the protest to police as "barbaric".

Charles Shelton, defending, said the men carried out their actions for political reasons and apologised for causing distress.

He added all the animals had died a natural death.

He said: "Being from the countryside they are so much more used to the sight of death. It was a mistake not to realise the effect on urban people.

"They are countrymen who, as they see it, face an assault on their way of life. They are deeply sorry about the distress caused by their actions."

Mr Shelton said Trousdale, a married father of two, would lose his job and home if the proposed ban becomes enforced and his hounds, which he loved, would be destroyed.

Trousdale is one of the masters of the Isle of Wight Hunt, which is midway through a month's suspension handed out by the Master of Foxhounds' Association following a hearing into the Brighton protest.