WIVELISCOMBE welcomed The Chipstable Hunt and a large number of supporters on Boxing Day for its traditional meet, hosted by Simon and Jenny Tanner at The White Hart, Hotel.

For many, this was a particularly poignant and emotional event as it was the last Boxing Day meet for Master and Huntsman William Roffe-Silvester.

His retirement after 19 years’ service will mark the end of the Roffe-Silvester family’s close association with local Hunts stretching back well over 50 years.

The arrangements for next season’s trail hunting have now to be decided by the Chipstable Hunt committee which has the unique authority to invite neighbouring packs in to hunt the local country with their hounds.

The hunt says that on the evidence of Boxing Day, a lot of goodwill and support appears to exist locally to retain some form of hunting in the Chipstable country with its accompanying social activities throughout the year.

A collection was made for the Air Ambulance and for hunt staff.