Wymondham Town Council decides to block Dunston Harriers event

The Dunston Harriers, whose origins date back to 1830, meet at the Market Cross on Boxing Day, a practice that dates back to at least the 1960s.

However, Wymondham Town Council has stopped the annual parade because the group was “terrorising” the animals with their tracking activities.

The authority, which was previously controlled by the Conservatives, is now run by the Liberal Democrats. The only Tory on the council abstained, with all other members supporting the ban.

Still, some in the city spoke out in favor of the meeting – which brings people to town and helps businesses – and accused city councilors of putting their personal beliefs above the wishes of locals.

Crowds gather for the event in Wymondham Market Square (Image: Adrian Judd)

WHO ARE THE DUNSTON HARRIERS?

The Dunston Harriers are a group of tracking hunters – an activity that mimics traditional fox hunting with hounds, but instead involves following an artificial trail along a predetermined route.

However, critics claim that this is sometimes just a “pretext” for illegal practices and that the pack often picks up the scent of live animals, which leads to the animals being caught and killed.

The group was founded in 1830 and today has around 100 members who meet regularly between September and March.

The Dunston Harriers have faced heavy criticism for an incident two years ago in which at least 20 of their hounds were killed at a railway crossing in Great Moulton after straying from the pack.

Three members of the group were acquitted of all hunting offences following another incident in the same year, when dogs chased a wild hare in the fields near Fersfield and were caught on video by anti-hunting activists.

Dunston Harriers host the traditional Wymondham Hunt on Boxing Day, starting from the Market Place (Image: Simon Finlay)

PARADE CONTROVERSY

The Boxing Day event is hosted annually by the Dunston Harriers in Wymondham town centre and is usually attended by several thousand people.

The event had already seen clashes between supporters and protesters, who appeared with signs and shouted “Shame on you” as the group marched through the crowd.

Protesters already took part in the event (Image: Jamie HoneywoodArchantNorwichNorfolk)

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City councillor Lucy Nixon said: “Some people believe that hunting with dogs is a rural tradition, but I do not think that is a sufficient justification.”

“There are many practices in this country that we have recognized over time are wrong and that they belong to the past. I am fundamentally against what this group represents.”

Suzanne Nuri-Nixon, leader of the parish council and mayor of Wymondham, said: “This is probably the first time ever that parish councillors have voted against this hunting convention, which is supposed to benefit the economy and attract people to the town.”

“I am proud that the city councillors have shown that our city is not prepared to host an event that is closely linked to the unlawful terrorisation of wildlife under the guise of tradition and rural pastimes.”

“This outdated practice is rightly a thing of the past. The world has moved on.”

WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT?

Nevertheless, the meeting still has many supporters.

Robert Savage, who represents Wymondham on Norfolk County Council, said he could remember there being a hunt almost every year on Christmas or Boxing Day since the 1960s.

People gathered for the event in 2004 (Image: Adrian Judd)

He said: “I remember that every time thousands of people came to the city centre to watch this spectacle. This is a long-standing tradition that should be maintained.”

“The council must remember that it is making this decision on behalf of the people of Wymondham and not on the basis of their personal opinion – however desirable that may be for them.

“You must give the people of Wymondham what they voted for with their feet by turning up again and again on Boxing Day.”

Representatives of the hunting group declined to comment on the decision and it is unclear whether the parade will take place at another location.

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Robert Savage, former Mayor of Wymondham (Image: Newsquest)

THE WYMONDHAM WETS

This is not the first time that council members have been accused of giving too much importance to their own feelings.

They were nicknamed the 'Wymondham Wimps' earlier this year after agreeing to introduce a 'red card' system for members suffering from severe anxiety.

Suzanne Nuri-Nixon, Mayor of Wymondham and Chair of the Council (Image: Submitted)

The measures will see councillors hold up signs to indicate that they need to leave the room for mental health reasons, after which they can go to a specially designated room next door.

Here they receive water and advice on “grounding techniques” such as breathing exercises.

Critics considered the measures disproportionate and accused the Council of being “fragile”.