15410/13THE hunting ban has brought about the end of the Marlborough College Beagles, one of only four school hunting packs in the country.

Eton, Stow and Radley were the other three public schools running their own beagle hunts and they, too, have been forced to end hunting hares by the Hunting Act.

On Thursday, precisely 12 hours before the new act became law at midnight, the beagles gathered for a last time in the college court.

Some old Marlburians who were either masters, whips or who ran after the hounds were present to see the end of a tradition.

The college beagles were established in 1952 by students James Bouskell and Nick Wykes.

Neither of the founders could be at the school on Thursday to see the last meet of the beagles, but one of their contemporaries, Marlborough solicitor Richard Ford, was present.

Mr Ford recalled when as a student he took part in the hunt following the beagles on foot over the downs around the town.

The solicitor said: "I think this is a very sad day."

He said two of his sons, James and William, had been masters of the beagles during their time at Marlborough.

The present master, Charles Talbot-Baker, thanked all the farmers and landowners who had allowed the beagles over their land and had helped to make the hunt so successful.

Veteran beagles supporter Ben Tottenham, 82, from Ramsbury, who has been following the Marlborough pack since 1996 when he moved to the area, said he was saddened the sport was being forced to end.

Mr Tottenham said he had been following beagles since he was ten years old.

"I think it's a dreadful day," said Mr Tottenham. "I have spent almost a lifetime following beagles and now it is being forced to stop."

It was a sad day too for the college's professional huntsman and kennelman Ozzie Osman as he paraded the hounds, a smaller version of the traditional hunting hounds, for the last time.

Now members of the College Hunt are faced with the task of finding new homes for the pack of 46 dogs.

Mr Osman said one of the problems in re-homing the hounds, which do not make good family pets because they are pack animals, was that every other beagles pack in the country was in the same situation.

He said it was hoped some of the hounds would be found homes with other beagle packs.

Mr Osman, who has been Marlborough College for seven years, said the beagles was the only activity in the world-famous public school that was run by the students themselves.

He has worked with the hounds part time and also worked in the college maintenance department, where he will continue to be employed.

Tears flowed at end of the Tedworth Hunt's last traditional meet on Thursday at Tidcombe House.

The meet attracted one of the biggest turnouts ever with at least 150 riders and between 200 and 300 supporters, said the joint master, Rodney Ellis.

The huntsman's horn sounded the final knell when the last traditional hunt by the Tedworth came to en end.

Mr Ellis said: "We had one of the best days this year and it was fitting that hunting as we knew it went out on a high note. But there were a lot of tears. That was the end of it all as far as many of us were concerned."

He said no anti-hunt protesters attended.

On Saturday there was an even bigger crowd when the hunt met under the new rules for the first time at Stowell House, near Pewsey. Again the event was unmarred by any trouble.

Mr Ellis said there were at least 180 riders with a crowd of at least 2,000 watching and following on foot.

The hounds followed a scent trail laid earlier by a rider and Mr Ellis said the pack set off at too fast a lick.

"People were riding a bit too fast and we ended up having one or two accidents with people going to hospital although, luckily, there was nothing serious," said the huntsman.

The Tedworth will be out again on Saturday and will meet at West Kennett.