FOR 5,000 people to take the time and trouble to spend their precious weekend travelling to London for a protest march indicates the depth and sincerity of their concerns for the future welfare of those in the countryside.

But is that enough? There have been genuine efforts of the Countryside Alliance to shake off its previous image characterised as representative of a bloodthirsty, unthinking elite, under the guise of the British Field Sports Society.

The change in name was more than window-dressing.

The very real threat to all aspects of rural life - farming, post offices, pubs, health care, transport to name just a few - is what has galvanised such a volume of support for the march.

There are deeper philosophical concerns, too, expounded with great skill by MP David Maclean on the opposite page.

But despite all that, the march is likely to be portrayed in the national media as a protest at the Government's plans to outlaw fox-hunting.

This is an emotional subject, which is latched upon by those who wish to over-simplify the issues.

Perhaps what the Countryside Alliance should do is play the sentimentalists at their own game, by pointing out that the ban on fox-hunting in Scotland has hurt the fox population most of all.

The old hunts used to eliminate the weakest and most damaging pests, those that resorted to the easy option of seeking their foods nearest to human habitation.

Nine out of ten foxes escaped the hounds.

Thus the rules of survival of the fittest applied and the species thrived.

Now the hounds can only be used to flush out the foxes, which are then shot by marksmen.

That way the chasers stay within the law.

The result is that nine out of ten foxes chased are shot.

Some of them limp off to die a horrible death.

There is no discrimination in favour of the quick and the clever.

There will always be a need to control the fox population.

To prevent Britain as a whole following the perverse route followed in Scotland, this weekend's marchers need to put the welfare of the fox up there on the agenda, along with that of the horses, the hounds and rural life.