A large crowd gathered in Helston town centre on Thursday to protest at the Cury Hunt’s annual Boxing Day event.

Members of West Cornwall Hunt Saboteurs and Action Against Foxhunting Cornwall were out in force with further members of the public who held placards and signs aloft opposing the gathering.

Boxing Day and New Year’s Day hunts have been a long tradition across the UK for centuries. However, these hunts are an event that draws much conflict, and as such a number of saboteur groups announced ahead of Boxing Day that they would be out across Cornwall in the pursuit of ending such meets.

A spokesperson for West Cornwall Hunt Saboteurs said: “The Cury crime gang parade crawled into Helston and our brave protesters greeted them with boos for the illegal animal cruelty they are absolutely involved in.”

“Our protesters did not engage with the ignorance of those cheering on animal abuse, but still were made to suffer rudeness, verbal abuse and even trying to grab at our banners.

“They carried on to Polgrean Farm, Gunwalloe for the real business of trying to tear apart wildlife. We saw terrified Deer, Birds of prey and Woodcock fleeing their homes in the woodland. Hunting with dogs must now be banned, our wildlife has enough to put up with trying to survive on a changing planet.

“Thanks so much to the good guys who stood with us and on the side of the animals, and to Kernow Hunt Sabs who joined us at Gunwalloe.”

The Cury Hunt have been contacted for comment.