From the young to the elderly, 10,000 protesters make journey from the county to capital to join packed 400,000-strong procession to defend liberty and livelihood

PROTESTERS from Dorset pounded out a message of defiance to the Government as they united in a show of force in London on the Liberty and Livelihood march.

Dorset marchers hit the streets with demonstrators from across the UK and the world for the Countryside Alliance-organised action in the capital.

They set off at the crack of dawn from across Dorset to throw their weight against moves to outlaw hunting with dogs and protest at the erosion of the rural way of life.

The Cattistock Hunt and South Dorset Hunt took 34 coaches between them as an estimated 10,000 protesters made the journey up to London.

Members of the Wynford Eagle Shoot and Mapperton Shoot were among those on the coach leaving Dorchester at 7am and arriving back at 8.30pm.

Sue Vivian, who travelled from Godmanstone with husband John, said: "Dorset put up a good show.

"Everybody showed their full support and it was quite an achievement."

Her husband John added: "There were also people from Switzerland and America who came to support.

"There was no animosity from the Londoners and there was a banner saying London welcomes the marchers."

The march - hailed as the biggest public demonstration ever in the UK - was held after last year's proposed protest was cancelled because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Sunshine beat down except for a brief downpour at 3pm. Stewards were out in force as was a 1,600-strong police presence as bands entertained the marchers and pipers played the bagpipes.

Many protesters blew whistles and sounded hunting horns as a sea of blue 'liberty and livelihood' shirts swept through the city and into Whitehall.

There, the packed procession observed a silence as it passed the Cenotaph before roars exploded when crowds passed below the march counter.

Many waved banners with such slogans as 'bang out of order' and 'support rural Britain' as cheers and applause regularly rippled through the procession.

Jamie Pope, who was an organiser on the Cattistock coach leaving Dorchester, said: "It was wonderfully impressive how the phalanx fell silent as everyone showed such respect at the Cenotaph."

Mr Pope and members of the Wynford Eagle Shoot dished out chocolate and played the hosts on their coach.

Tom Balchin, 11, from Frampton, was there with his 10-year-old brother Marcus, dad Russell and mum Sarah.

He said: "I enjoyed the day although I expected more anti-hunt protesters.

"We have shown the Government that we care and people in the future will realise that people of our generation made history today."

Tom, who goes to St Osmund's Middle School in Dorchester, told how the marchers had poured scorn on Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mrs Balchin added: "I think we achieved something.

"The Government will have to think twice about this legislation."

Organisers hailed the involvement of so many young people in the march as a great success and refuted claims that the march was simply about hunting.

Marchers claimed they were concerned about the decline of country life, the rural economy and such issues as post offices, shops, affordable housing and public transport.

Anna Burden, 21, of the Mapperton Shoot and Eurless Shoot, said: "It was great to see so many people pulling together."

Her friend Stephanie Miller, 18, added: "It was great from start to finish."

Protesters from Dorset started walking at about 11.30am and finally reached their coaches for the return trip at 3.30pm.

Virginia MacShane from Cattistock, Jo Warren from Litton Cheney and Margaret Tewson were on the Dorchester bus along with 78-year-old Tom Wadden and his wife Gillian from Bridport.

Mrs Warren said: "It was great to see so many people of differing ages."

Mrs Tewson added: "It was incredible and the atmosphere was brilliant."

Farmers, falconers, ratters and hunt supporters were among the marchers.

Anti-hunt supporters claimed the march was not about liberty and livelihood and purely about fox hunting and bloodsports.

Many marchers booed as they passed the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs but walked silently past the Cenotaph.