DOZENS of people from South Lakeland and Furness swelled the ranks of those who descended on London yesterday (Sunday) in a mass protest at the Government's handling of rural affairs.

Coaches carrying peaceful protestors from many corners of South Lakeland, Furness and North Cumbria, made the long haul down to the capital to join the estimated 400,000 that marched the two miles between Hyde Park and Parliament Square.

Organised by the Countryside Alliance, and billed as a march to defend the countryside, country sports and rural life, the overwhelming theme of the majority of marchers was resistance towards any move by the Labour administration to ban hunting foxes with hounds.

See our site and The Westmorland Gazette on Friday for the full story and photos.