One of Oxfordshire's biggest hunt's has plans to continue riding with packs of hounds even when the new law to ban hunting with dogs comes into force.

The Bicester Hunt meets at Launton on Boxing Day in 2001

Members of Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase could be meeting outside the Red Lion pub in Stratton Audley on February 19 next year as the Bicester and Whaddon Chase Hound Club.

Hunt secretary Robert Vallance said their activities would be exactly the same as before -- they would go out on horseback with a large pack of dogs. But they say they are not hunting, but merely giving the hounds exercise.

They have said that if the hounds find a fox during their exercise then that will be purely coincidental.

The 'contingency plan' was drawn up to take place on February 19, the day after the new law comes into force.

But yesterday's (December 23) announcement that the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, will not fight an injunction challenging the hunting ban means the change could now be delayed.

Under a deal sanctioned by Prime Minister Tony Blair foxhunting could continue in England and Wales for another year.

Mr Vallance said the hunt was watching legal moves being made by the Countryside Alliance against the Government's ban on hunting, which might lead to a suspension of the ban for a year or more, particularly if the issue goes to the European Court of Human Rights.

He added: "This does not change the contingency plans we have drawn up, because a lot depends on the outcome of legal challenges, but it may mean we do not do it on February 19.

"We're able to do this to remain within the law. We're doing this solely to ensure our 120 hounds -- in two packs of 60 -- and our staff and ourselves comply with the law. We need to stay solvent."

The move has been condemned by the anti-hunting lobby. Penny Little, of the Oxfordshire branch of Protect Our Wild Animals, said: "A hound club is just a front and a nonsense. We all know they intend to carry on hunting. These people think they can run rings around the law."

Ms Little added: "We're also fed up with Mr Blair and the decision not to oppose an injunction from the Countryside Alliance. For animal welfare people this is the last straw. We all voted Labour because we thought we were getting a ban on foxhunting and we will not be voting Labour at the next election."