THE country's oldest hunt could survive under new laws designed to crack down on the sport if huntsmen can prove that their pursuit is essential.

Members of Holcombe Hunt said they can live with a ruling that fox-hunting will be only be allowed if it can be proved that it is the only means of pest control.

The House of Lords rejected of an outright ban on hunting with hounds. Peers voted by 366 votes to 59 for middle-way proposals to allow certain hunts under licence.

Earlier, the House of Commons overwhelmingly backed an outright ban by 386 votes to 175. It would have meant the end of the Holcombe Hunt, which dates back to 1304.

Both of Bury's MPs, David Chaytor and Ivan Lewis, were among those calling for a ban.

Although the compromise is expected to affect many hunts, in some cases killing them off completely, members of the Holcombe Hunt are confident they will survive.

Alex Sneddon, joint master of the hunt, told the Bury Times: "The Holcombe Hunt is for pest control. The farmer invites us on the land to kill vermin. Without the farmer's permission, we would not be allowed on the land."

Mr Sneddon, a member of the hunt for the past 30 years, looks after the hounds. Outside the hunt season, which over the past year has been severely disrupted because of foot-and-mouth, he helps farmers by collecting animal carcasses.

Since September, huntsmen have been out twice a week. The season ended last week.

He added: "The farmers welcomed us back after foot-and-mouth. Life in the countryside did not stop because of foot-and-mouth and it was good to get back and help the farmers."

Mr Sneddon, who lives in Kirklees, said the hunt was growing all the time with 30-plus members.

"No-one really knows what the Government will do. It is just speculation at the moment. But it will be good when the legislation is sorted once and for all and we will know where we stand. This debate has been going on for a while. But what people do not seem to understand is that as well as helping the farmer by hunting foxes, we continue to help him throughout the year by collecting fallen animals and in many other ways. No one-protests at that. If hunting is banned, everything else we do for the countryside will stop too."

IVAN Lewis, MP for Bury South, said his position on hunting had always been clear.

"Hunting with dogs is a cruel and unnecessary pastime, which should have no place in our modern society," he said.

"I have, at every opportunity, used the free votes in the House of Commons to vote for an end to this so-called sport."