The following reports are those filed by the then Lancashire LACS support group, the Cheshire LACS support group was equally as active but no reports were kept.

26th February 2000 - Cheshire Monitoring
Out with a whimper not a bang for the Holcombe as on a beautiful day they didn't go out at all and that is the end of their season. Over the season they have killed four times according to the Sabs, although we've only witnessed two both at Bretherton. On balance we think that we've done our bit to keep them on their toes as we've been out every Saturday and we've made sure that their days were as uncomfortable as legally possible. At one point, back in December, one of the riders turned round to us and yelled " Why don't you leave us alone?". Needless to say this kept us going on the cold and, this year, very wet times we've had to deal with. Our feeling is that this has been a poor year for our local hunt with some fields being as low as 12 or 13.

As they didn't go out we decided to go down to Cheshire and give a hand to the Cheshire Group of LACS. Due to the delay with the Holcombe we arrived near Holmes Chapel after the hunt had started but soon picked up the trail - it wasn't difficult as the day was in memory of Mike Hill, a Sab who died in Cheshire some 9 years ago, and there were Sabs from all over the place with an appropriate number of Police in attendance as well as numerous hunt followers. Actually it wasn't an appropriate number of Police as the first thing they did when we arrived was to stop us and demand that we produce documents to our nearest Police station. We had tabards and hunt monitors card and it didn't make any difference. One of us later asked the Police why they weren't stopping the hunt followers who weren't wearing seat belts and was told they had more important things to concern themselves with.

We heard afterwards that one of the Sabs had been assaulted by a hunt follower but nothing seems to have happened as a result. Cheshire have one more Saturday left before they finish and they need assistance. Phone League headquarters for contact numbers.

19th February 2000 - Leisure Lakes
We're not sure what is happening to the Holcombe as they once again forsook their natural moorland for the rather boring countryside around Leisure Lakes on OS 108 reference 410179. This time we parked at the other side of the complex and saw the hunt as they appeared at 405180. We were on the footpath at 403182 but at this juncture two representatives of Leisure Lakes appeared and one of them proceeded to give us a hard time about being on his land. It's not clear from the map whether the track going South West is a right of way and as the hunt was disappearing towards Meanygate Farm we didn't feel it was the time to push the issue.

We went back for the car and went the long way round to 395178 where we could see the hunt in the distance around 390160. We met the Sabs there who told us that there was a policeman in off duty clothes riding around in a beat up, dirty Land Rover near to the hunt followers flashing his warrant card. We may report this to Southport Police as we have his name.

There was also quite a lot of shooting going on and with this in mind as well as the aggressive nature of the day we felt we'd better stay where we were. The hunt stayed at a distance (just an observation but the redcoat who was at 395178 when we arrived raced off to the hunt who at this stage were at 395173 and it was very soon after that they disappeared into the distance. They seem to be going further and further away from the meet site every time we appear). They packed up at around 1500hrs.

12th February 2000 - No Hunt
Another odd meet for the Holcombe Hunt in as much as they didn't have one. We followed the three horse boxes as usual and we ended up by the beach in Southport one hour later where they took the horses out for a run along the sand - unless there's such a creature as a sea-hare.

In a way it was no bad thing as a) they weren't hunting but b) Preston Action For Animals were running a stall in Southport against the Waterloo Cup which is on the 22nd February. Several of our group were already there or joined in after the hunt cancelled.

5th February 2000 - Wheelton
Quite an odd meet for the Holcombe Hunt this week. They met at Wheelton on OS Map 102 at reference 603211 which is a favourite place for them. However the Master had told us earlier in the day they they were going to Southport and he wasn't going. But he turned up.

From the start of the day several of the Hunt were trying to needle us which is unusual for the Holcombe. They first went along the A674 and left to the footpath at 602206 and did the normal sweep along the valley picking up a few scents but no kill. One horse got entangled in barbed wire when trying a jump and a monitor tried to help free the horse. The monitor was accused of distracting the horse at the jump which was ludicrous. At the same place moments later a young girl of about 7 or 8 fell of and was crying and again the hunt tried to blame monitors. (We watched afterwards as they tried to coax the girl to jump a fence some way off and all the followers were lined up on the approach to the jump so being in the vicinity of a jump is ok if you're with the hunt.)

They then went across to around 608210 and went West following the contours. A reliable source told us later that at one point this harrier pack were chasing a deer. One section of the monitors had gone ahead to 615203 where we expected them to turn up and they did. We found that the hunt had surrounded the sabs and there seemed at first inspection to be a press photographer and reporter present which we think was the reason for them needling us. The sabs asked for their press credentials but they said they didn't have any with them. They stayed for a few minutes and then went. One of the hunt then produced his own camera and started to photograph the monitors which they've never done before. All very peculiar.

They then went back to normal mode and followed the path to 622208 and then went South skirting the river and towards White Coppice ( on map 109 ). They picked up a very strong scent by the sound of it and the pack was away. They didn't kill and ended up at 612199 where they stopped for the day, although they had a problem rounding up the strays. The monitors in fact had to hold a horse while one of the huntsman went back for one of the hounds.

The area is full of horses and there is an Equestrian Centre near where they finished. Several cars of horsey people stopped to abuse the hunt as they passed which they didn't like at all. One of them stopped the sabs at the end and congratulated them on their skill at taking off the hounds from the huntsman.

29th January 2000 - Bob's Smithy pub at Horwich
On a wet and very windy day the Holcombe met at the Bob's Smithy pub which is on OS Map 109 at reference 674111. It was a very small field of 11 riders and the Monitors and Sabs outnumbered those out hunting.

From the pub they went west along the B6226 and then South onto Green Hill at 672111. The Monitors split into two teams one going onto the Hill via the public footpath at 664111 and the other further on at 656109. The hunt swept the area North of the Reservoir for about three quarters of an hour but didn't pick up anything and were constantly aware of our and the sabs presence.

They then went North and started on the Moorland North of the B6226 and bounded by the three smaller roads. We saw several hares but the Hunt didn't spot them. They crossed over at 668121 onto the Adam Hill area but not for long as by this time all the groups had joined together and were right amongst the pack and they weren't able to do much. They actually finished at 1350hrs which at 1 hour 50 minutes must be one of the shortest hunts on record.

22nd January 2000 - Two Hares Killed at Bretherton
Technically it was a good day for the Monitoring team (and the Sabs who managed to keep up with the Holcombe Hunt) but the Hunt killed twice. The meet was at Bretherton on OS Map 102 reference 483496. We split into two teams as the hunt went South along the B5427, they turned West along a track on Map 108 at 484198 and hunted the area North of the track where both kills took place. For the second one the pack seemed to have run into a hare that had been lying in the grass as no chase took place. There was nothing either ourselves or the Sabs could do about it even though it happened only 100 yards from where we were. The only thing we could do was take a few photos of what was left and that was mainly blood.

They then left that area and continued West to around 468190. We left one team to follow the track and the other drove round to 470203 where we met the hunt as they turned the corner at Ashcroft's Farm. We followed down the Public Footpath to Bank Hall only to be informed by radio that they had turned round and were back at Ashcroft's Farm. The other team then followed them to the fields East of the B5247 and North of the B5248.

We drove one team to Holme Farm House ( 481219 ) and dropped the other at the Public Footpath at 474209. The Hunt eventually appeared at Holme Farm House where the meet ended for the day at 1500hrs.

It was an average field of around 20 riders and 3 or 4 car loads of followers.

As stated above it was a technically good performance by the two teams who were in constant contact by radio and phone whilst being picked up and dropped by the driver but what should have been a cause for quiet satisfaction was spoiled by those 2 kills.

15th January 2000 - Leisure Park
The Holcombe Hunt once again went to the Leisure Park near Southport on OS Map 108 reference 411179. A small field, around 15 riders, saw them challenge our right to be present in the area. We showed the representatives of the Park the Public Footpaths marked on the map and after some discussion over the interpretation of the map they left us alone.

The whole period of time, from 1200hrs to 1500hrs, was accompanied by a constant backgound of guns firing from a wood at 402178. We believe it was directed at birds as there were beaters out in the adjoining field ( 395178 ). The problem from our point of view was that area is crisscrossed with large drainage ditches which meant that we found it very difficult to keep in touch with the hunt. Also, unlike the Moors where it isn't a problem, we were very aware of keeping to the correct footpaths so as not to give the Park's owner an excuse to ask us to leave.

The hunt did what they did last time which is to follow the tracks out to around 390180 and then go South to around 390160 and then back a few times and then over to 402185. They picked up several scents but we don't believe they killed.

8th January 2000 - Deerplay Moor Pub
The Holcombe Hunt met at the Deerplay Moor Pub which is at reference 867265 on the OS Map 103. They initially went North West up to Thieveley Pike for a bit of a warm up run. They then picked up the track starting at 869276 which leads back to the A671. They followed this across the main road and picked up the entrance to the Moors at the Rossendale Way 852279. They then hunted all round the area from 835295 back to 820265. They were making their way back to the Rossendale Way position at about 1500hrs when they picked a scent which took them back right into the Moors. They finished about 1545hrs.

This was a terrible meet for us as Monitors as it is such a vast area and they can take off at speed for miles and there is little we can do to anticipate where they'll be as the roads don't give immediate access to the Moors. We were lucky today to see them at all and that was at a distance most of the time. Luckily the Sabs were present and a couple of them managed to keep in reasonable contact and prevented any kills.

It was a small turn out for the hunt. Only about 15 riders with two women in 'civvies' who joined in at the start. We think they owned the land round the Deerplay but they weren't much use as they didn't want to jump anything and they gave up after about half an hour.

27th December 1999 - Rivington Barn
The Boxing Day meet of the Holcombe Hunt took place as usual at Rivington Barn OS Map 109 reference 634146. There was a large field of around 35 riders which was more than last year but the hunt followers seemed reduced from previous years although still containing the mixed bunch of range rovers and terrier men types. Where they are the rest of the year is a mystery as is why they bring their dogs to a harrier meet.

The LACS and other groups made up about 50 in number and were very visible with banners and leaflets. Particularly effective were the 'Stop Hunting' road signs which had been posted all along the drive to the Car Parks. The Police were present in numbers but kept a low profile seemingly wanting to try out their new CCTV capability. Even the horses did not go out with the Hunt this year.

At 1200hrs after showboating around the grassy area in front of the Barn the Hunt left along the path leading to the cattle grid (marked on the OS). Here they turned left and then right eventually gaining their expected hunting ground which spreads from 630160 to 655160. This was really an exercise for the followers who had parked along the road from 643155 to 648158.

LACS members were both behind and in front of the Hunt monitoring their progress and the Sabs were among the pack nearly all the time. Needless to say the hunt never even picked up a scent and they finished at around 1430hrs. Then it was back to the Barn for much needed hot soup as it was a typical cold moorland day. Bad part of the day was the discovery that one of the cars belonging to the Monitors had been badly scratched all along one side.

18th December 1999 - Love Clough: Children's Meet
It was a beautiful, clear but cold day and the Holcombe met at the same place as last week (OS Map103 reference 812272) but not at the Glory Pub but just around the corner at the Social Club. The bad news was that it was a children's meet which meant that there were around 20 adults and 10 children out. One of the children was only about 4 years old and was being led round.

Friends from Bolton and Manchester were there as well from the start and we went up towards Great Clough where they warmed until they traced the ridge South West finishing up around 802270. At this point one of the children fell off and the adult foot follower who was with her started beating the pony. We protested and after a brief altercation we heard the Master advise all the followers not to hit the ponies. This was not the first time this had happened during the day.

Shortly after this the main body of riders went off following a fox which managed to get away. They returned and went across to the Mitchell House Reservoir where they picked up the scent of a hare which we could see quite clearly from above. They lost it through the intervention of the Sabs. After this they lost a couple of hounds for a time which meant the field got quite cold hanging around and directly after they blew for home at 1430hrs. No kills again.

11th December 1999 - Love Clough
We weren't sure whether the Holcombe would go out as the conditions were so bad but a few die hards ( 12 ) did appear at Love Clough at OS Map 103 reference 812272. They fooled us again by not going up Great Clough but by causing a tail back on the A682 for a mile or so before turning right onto Love Clough. They were, by this time, a couple of miles away from the Monitors but the Sabs had the advantage of a driver who had dropped them at the point the Hunt went off the road. They managed to stay in touch with the hounds for the next two and a half hours during which time 4 or 5 hares were saved by their intervention.

The Monitors had caught up after about an hour but conditions were rainy and misty which prevented much photography being undertaken. It was basically a job of following the Hunt up and down the area around Meadowhead until the mist and time decided the hunt would make for home which they did about 1445hrs.

4th December 1999 - No Hunt
The Holcombe Hunt did not appear to go out this week. Monitors noted that the Joint Master, Arnold, did not leave, and, after checking a location believed to be the planned meet, monitors decided to call it a day. The weather had been wet, and the proposed meet was on low land, so we suspect that they decided not to trample the field to mud on this occasion.

27th November 1999 - Chapeltown
The Holcombe Hunt met at Chapeltown which is a village to the North of Bolton at Map Reference 733158 on OS Map 109. It was a small field at a new meet. To say they were not welcome is an understatement. One resident blocked the access to the proposed hunting area to the West of the village. She told the Hunt that the lane was private.

The Meet at Chapletown nr Edgworth. The hunt moved west toward Whitworth, across the moor, along a footpath where residents asked them to leave. property and that they were not to go on it. They eventually had to gain access via another road to the South and cast around for about half an hour just West of the railway line and all along the ridge that goes in a North/South direction. Eventually they gave up without ever gaining a scent.

They then went up higher on to reference 715150 to 715165 with no success. We had split into two groups with one following the path up to height and the other staying on the larger track that runs through the 'p' in Chapeltown on the map. It was on that track that we met more of the local residents who told us that the Hunt had no permission to be on their land and that they had been instructed many times, both verbally and by letter, that they were to stay away. The Hunt have ignored them. At this point the pack appeared with two of the Hunt officers while the rest had stayed at the top of the ridge. They were told that they were not to hunt on the land around the houses by the residents.

Just prior to this the group on the lower gradient had followed the Hunt to reference 725155 where the track northward ends and a public footpath exists. The Hunt informed us that the land belonged to someone called Nigel and that we were not allowed on it. The Public Footpath was signed but on the other side of the stile were a herd of horned cows and a bull which didn't look friendly. We spoke to a party of schoolchildren and teachers who were on a ramble and who had been forced to climb a barbed wire fence to avoid these animals on Nigel's land. They all wanted leaflets about our activities and were supportive.

Back on the track two of us were invited in for tea at one of the houses. Before long the Hunt appeared on their way back to the village and armed with the knowledge that the track was not a Bridleway and they hadn't been given permission to be on it we informed them of their position.

Back at the village the lane was again blocked much to the annoyance of the Hunt. The people responsible had a long talk to us about the problem and vowed to keep in touch and to try to make a united stand against the Hunt if they try to go there again. No kills were made and one of the Huntsman was heard to complain about this lack of killing.

20th November 1999 - Dresser Arms, Wheelton
The group split up for the first part of the day with two of us going to Lancaster to help staff a City Centre stall which PAFA had organised around the hunting issue. It was very well received by Lancastrians who took away 1,500 postcards to send to Tony Blair. Meanwhile, the others met the Holcombe at Wheelton (OS Map 102 ref: 603212). They set off South down the A674 and turned up the first left to Heapey. Just before the Church there is a public footpath to the left and they went down it to the valley behind Heapey.

The meet at Wheelton. Note Brinscall, where the incident happened.
The Hunt cast around the valley for a time and then went North at which point the two members who'd been to Lancaster arrived. They stayed at the Southern side whilst the others followed the pack.

They were picking up lots of scents and we saw a lot of hares running. They went West along the ridge by the Wheelton Road eventually arriving at Brinscall Hall where an incident happened. They ended by going South and then East along a track towards Withnall where they then headed for home.

NOTE: Following on from this hunt we submitted pictures of a hound hanging from a barbed wire fence to the Lancashire Evening Post. They took the story up and had a large colour print of it in the Wednesday 24th November issue.

13th November 1999 - No Monitoring
With a few of us either off or working we checked with the Cheshire Group to see if they wanted any help. They, unfortunately, had a problem with the Hunt meeting on an Estate where they couldn't get access so we decided on a different sort of day.

We decided to make this a more technical day where we checked out various bits of technology and purchased another mobile phone (which sounds ok but we need another two phones and another video camera). We noted that the Holcombe were going from the Nabs Head in Salmesbury at 622292 on OS Map 102.

6th November 1999 - Leisure Lakes
Leisure Lakes meet near Mere Brow The Holcombe Hunt went to an area they don't often cover in the Southport area at OS Map 108 reference 410178 which is Leisure Park, an outdoor activities Centre. We were ordered off the site by the owner. As this wasn't a normal meet we hadn't got the map so one of us had to go to Southport to buy a couple. The others were able to keep tabs on the Hunt on a marked Public footpath.

This Meet seemed to be a young persons meet which is particularly loathsome so we wanted to get some closer contact during the afternoon - it was a 1200 hrs start. The Map luckily showed the area to be littered with public rights of way and we were able to go through the Centre again (wishing everyone Good Afternoon) quite legally much to their annoyance. The Hunt seemed to be having difficulty picking up any sort of a lead and seemed quite depressed when we met them.

The CBs and portable phones are proving very succesful in keeping us acting as a unit - we had two teams this time as a couple of Monitors were new. The Hunt packed up at 3.00 pm with no kills.

28th October 1999 - Affetside
The Holcombe Hunt met at Affetside which is on OS Map 109 reference 755138. They moved off onto the moor to the West of the road at 1200hrs and cast around with no success for about an hour and then moved off to 755125 where they immediately found a hare which they chased for about 10 minutes. The hare came within 20 metres of one group of the monitors. It managed to escape with the help of another group of activists. We got some good footage on one of the video cameras.

We had three groups of Monitors out with one of them car based. The Hunt made their way down to the golf course and across to the village of Walshaw. They picked up a few scents but did not kill packing up about 3.00 pm.

21st October 1999 - Hawkshaw
The Holcombe Hunt met at Hawkshaw which is on OS Map 109 reference 759151. The Hunt started at 1200hrs with 10 red coats and 12 in the field and went West for 500 metres before turning North up a lane which took them up a track leading onto the South West part of Holcombe Moor. They picked a scent after about half an hour but didn't kill.

They cast around for a couple of hours ending up at around Crowther School by which time we had lost them as we didn't have transport available.