IT was the day that passions over the hunting debate finally boiled over.

MPs voted to ban hunting on a day marked by violent clashes outside Parliament and an extraordinary invasion of the House of Commons.

Around 50 pro-hunting demonstrators from the New Forest were among the estimated 20,000 who convened at Westminster yesterday.

Scuffles broke out on the south west corner of Parliament Square at 3.30pm as some protesters set off fireworks and lobbed plastic bottles and placards at lines of uniformed police officers, knocking off their hats.

The demonstration compere pleaded for calm saying: "You are doing our cause harm. We have no problem with the police.''

But his pleas went unheard beneath the loud whistles and cheers of the crowd. By 3.40pm vanloads of officers in riot gear were seen heading to that spot with shields and helmets.

Pony breeder James Young from Brockenhurst was among supporters from the New Forest who were at the rally.

He said: "For the majority it was peaceful and well-behaved event. We could hear some noise over in the far corner where four or five people had broken through the police cordon, but weren't aware there was violence.

"But everything calmed down again pretty soon."

"The main body of the crowd was noisy and angry, but peaceful.

"It has been quite political with a lot of Conservative MPs and shadow ministers."

Simon Kenney, a professional huntsman from Durham, was bleeding from the head.

He said: "I was up at the front trying to make my point to a policeman, then he just hit me with his baton.

"The police did not give any warning. I was pushed from behind into them and the next thing I knew, I was bleeding.

Caroline Graham, from Newbury, Berkshire, said: "The police just keep hitting people - they don't care whether they are men or women."

Polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes was greeted with loud cheers and applause when he told the crowd in Parliament Square that the Government was using hunting for political gain.

He said: "I have never hunted and never will, but for me this is all about the hypocrisy and a creeping disregard for democracy, not about hunting."

Other celebrities backing the march included TV cook Clarissa Dixon-Wright and former Grand National winner Marcus Armitage.

Police said 15 arrests had been made following the disturbance.

First published: Sept 16