YOUNG rider Grace Thomas was a star for the day at a special children's Pony Club meet - the last but one chance to hunt legally before the ban against fox hunting was introduced.

A record number of youngsters turned out, which was held at Cradley, near Malvern, determined to demonstrate their support for hunting.

Grace, who is 10 years old, has hunted for most of her childhood. She was asked to appear on the BBC's Newsround television programme after commenting on the Bill when the decision to ban hunting was announced in November. She has even got her own web page on the subject.

The cameras arrived at Grace's Herefordshire home early in the morning to watch her wash and plait her pony, Peter, ahead of the big day. The TV cameras didn't faze her and she put her point of view across to children who tuned into the programme on Thursday at 5.25pm - just as the huntsmen at the last legal meets blew for home and gathered up their hounds.

Grace's mother, Natasha Thomas, was very proud.

"I thought Grace spoke eloquently and put forward the argument for hunting very well. She described hunting perfectly."

Grace, who has owned Welsh Section B Peter for three years, said she loved hunting because it meant she could ride her pony in the countryside.

"I am glad I had the chance to give my opinion. It's very important that other children realise what the ban means and how important fox hunting is to the countryside. Hunting allows us to cull old and mangy foxes but the ban means even more will be killed in a far crueller manner, such as shooting and snaring," said Grace, who eventually hopes to own and train her own point-to-pointer.