The government says its animal welfare strategy will bring "the biggest reforms in a generation".

The government says the practice is being used as a "smokescreen" for the hunting of wild animals.

Ministers will on Monday announce a ban on the field sport - in which hunters follow packs of hounds through the countryside in search of pre-laid scents rather than live animals.

Ministers are introducing a series of new measures to better protect pets and wild animals - but critics warn Labour "simply don't care about rural Britain".