THOUSANDS of country sports supporters turned once again to the biggest hunt meet of the year in the South West.

The official opening meet of the Duke of Beaufort's hunt took place on Saturday morning under grey skies at Worcester Lodge, on the Duke's Badminton Estate in South Gloucestershire.

Hunts across the region had been holding opening meets for the last two weekends.

More than 200 riders saddled up to join the hounds and huntsmen, who spent the day riding around the Badminton Estate and surrounding countryside. The future of the ban on hunting with hounds is again under question following the Coalition Government's promise to revisit the issue.