TRADITION came to town on Boxing Day as hundreds of people took to the streets of Neath to celebrate the Banwen Miners' Hunt.

The annual event, now in its 49th year, kicked off from the Castle Hotel, and saw members of the party making their way on horseback through the town centre.

Hunt master Jeff Evans, said it was a "cracking day" with about 60 riders taking part and around 400 spectators.

"There was a lot more people there than last year," said Mr Evans.

Cold and dangerous weather conditions hit the event in 2010, which meant that the actual hunt could not go ahead.

"But this year it was full on, just as it should be," said Mr Evans, who added that the youngest rider involved was a 5-year-old girl. "There were huge crowds with people on both sides of the road.

Across the country more than 300 legal hunts — following a trail or a scent, rather than chasing a fox — were held.

Meanwhile some pro-hunt campaigners believe a return to traditional hunting could return after the Government promised MPs a vote on the 2005 Hunting Act.

A change of venue for Carmarthenshire Hunt's Boxing Day event proved a great success, with hundreds turning up to see the traditional spectacle.

The hunt had moved from Meidrim, its home of the past 40 years, to Cross Hands.

Some 25 horses and riders took part, meeting at the Cross Hands Hotel in Llandeilo Road at 10.30am.

Hunt master Michael Watts said the change of venue was due to the closure of the Meidrim pub, the New Inn, which acted as a meeting place.