CAMPAIGNERS have called the failure of a vote to ban trail hunting on National Trust land a “shot in the arm for animal cruelty”.

At the Rodbourne-based charity’s annual general meeting on Saturday, trust members were asked to vote on a motion brought by anti-hunt campaigners.

If passed, the motion would have seen “trail hunting” and the exercising of hunting hounds banned at National Trust properties.

The trust’s own board of trustees advised members to vote against the motion, saying the charity had already moved to ban the use of fox-based scents by hunt organisers.

Debate on the motion was heated, with some accusing anti-hunt campaigners of leaving posters on properties implying that National Trust bosses approved of the motion.

One man said he had seen hunting hounds enter inaccessible thickets where no scent trail could have been laid – implying the dogs were hunting foxes.

In a tight vote, the motion was defeated by 30,985 votes to 30,686 – a margin of less than one per cent.

Helen Beynon, who brought the motion, said: “I believe the only reason our motion has failed is because most National Trust members haven’t seen it with their own eyes. If they’d have seen what I’ve seen, then I have no doubt they would have voted with us.

“I was surprised, that despite all the evidence available to the National Trust trustees, and the fact that we were given no opportunity to respond to the terms of any new licence, they advised members to vote against our proposal.

“By doing this, they have led people to believe that there is no problem. But there is a problem, hunts will now be able to continue their barbaric hobby on land which is meant to be protected for people and animals. It’s disgraceful, and the National Trust should be ashamed.”

Philippa King, acting chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The trust claims to protect our countryside but they have singularly failed to do that. This is a massive backward step for justice and a shot in the arm for cruelty.”

A National Trust spokesman said: “Prior to the vote, the charity’s trustees had recommended that the activity should be allowed to continue after recent improvements in licensing conditions to further safeguard conservation and access on the trust’s land.

“The conservation charity has been carefully listening to both sides of a highly polarised and passionate debate for years.

“We are pleased members have had the opportunity to debate this issue and have voted to support the Trustees’ position.”

Around a hundred anti-hunt protesters met outside the National Trust’s annual general meeting on Saturday morning.

One police officer said: “It’s one of the friendliest protests I’ve ever policed.”