ANIMAL rights campaigners have promised to keep fighting tooth and nail to stop fox hunting in the countryside, despite suffering a blow to their campaign this week. Hunt leaders were in buoyant mood on Monday after hundreds turned out for the traditional Flint and Denbigh event. They were pledging to return next Christmas after the Government controversially said it would not oppose a legal challenge over February's hunting-with-hounds ban. The Government's decision provoked cheers from hunters but outrage from opponents who accused prime minister Tony Blair of electioneering. The Boxing Day hunt would have been the last legal one for the Flint and Denbigh, but the Countryside Alliance's High Court challenge could mean hunters continuing until the dispute is resolved. Speaking on Monday, joint hunt master Ricky Proffitt said: "We will be back next year. The legal challenge may go on for years, so it will be legal to have the hunt again next year. But whether or not it is legal, we will be here." But North Wales LACS spokesman Judi Hewitt insisted the hunters will not get an easy ride. "We will keep on fighting, we will keep on campaigning," she said. "I will be going door-to-door to explain the cruelty of fox hunting. "I was going to take six months off but because of Tony Blair's weakness we are going to have to carry on. "We hope the courts will throw out the challenge, then we will work with the police to ensure fox hunting does not happen and anybody who breaks the law is prosecuted." | 
