Charges against a huntsman relating to illegally pursuing a fox have been dropped.

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges against 44-year-old Julian Barnfield, who hunts with the Heythrop Hunt in Oxfordshire.

He had been accused of four offences of hunting a fox between November 2008 and February 2009 and was to have appeared before Cheltenham Magistrates this Friday.

But today the CPS announced it had discontinued the case in the light of a High Court ruling last month that "searching" for a mammal was not hunting and that hunting could only be an "intentional" activity.

Mr Barnfield and members of his Hunt were told today of the decision.

Richard Sumner, joint master of the Heythrop, said "We are all absolutely delighted. I know that Julian himself is very pleased and relieved.

"The CPS have to prove that we have been hunting illegally but we haven't and our consciences are clear."

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Magistrates Court confirmed they had been notified of the discontinuance of the case.

At an earlier hearing Mr Barnfield, of Heythrop Kennels in Chipping Norton, pleaded not guilty to three charges - the first charge related to November 2007 at Cold Aston, near Cheltenham, the second in January 2008 at Adlestrop, Moreton-in-marsh and the third in February 2008 at Barrington.

A fourth similar charge allegedly committed in the Witney area was also to be heard at his trial having been transfcerred from Witney Magistrates court.