Postman Pat has made a special delivery today.

Early in the morning, just as rain was pouring, a special post bag was delivered at the headquarters of the Peak District National Park Authority.

This was to protest fox 'trail hunting' in the Peak District National Park.

Whilst there is no evidence supplied of this practice happening in the Macclesfield area of the Peak District National Park, it is a possibility given the size of Peak District National Park land in the rural countryside near Macclesfield.

The League Against Cruel Sports describes themselves as 'Britain's leading charity that works to stop animals being persecuted, abused and killed for sport'.

The special delivery was made by animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports, and comprised 10,000 campaign postcards sent to the Peak District National Park Authority's Bakewell headquarters, calling for an end to fox or 'trail' hunting on its land.

The League's foxy postie delivered mail sacks stuffed with postcards to the national park's Bakewell Visitor Centre. They have been signed by the public and state that trail hunting is a myth invented by the hunts so they can carry on hunting foxes.

John Petrie, the League Against Cruel Sports senior campaigns manager, said: "Most national park authorities in England no longer allow fox hunts onto their land, because what they claim to be doing – hunting a pre-laid trail instead of an animal – has become increasingly discredited and shown to be a sham.

They have six sites in the Macclesfield area including three woodlands. (Image - Macclesfield Nub News)

"It's time for change and for Peak District National Park Authority to protect wildlife and preserve nature by banning fox and trail hunting on its land."

Peak District National Park land in the Macclesfield area includes the Brookside Carpark and associated land in Wildboarclough, Clough House Car Park and Woodland in Wildboarclough, Trentabank Reservoir, Vicarage Quarry Carpark in Wildboarclough.

They also own the Bakestonedale Moor Woodland in Pott Shrigley, and the Danebridge Woodland in Danebridge, and finally the Nab Quarry Car Park in Wildboarclough. (Source)

In a statement sent to Macclesfield Nub News, the League Against Cruel sports added: "The Peak District National Park, along with Dartmoor and Exmoor, is one of the only national park authorities in England and Wales which still allow fox or 'trail' hunts on their land."

"Ten other national park authorities have policies which prevent fox hunts from using their land and, in recent years, fox hunting has been banned on 2.3million acres of land run by other landowners including the National Trust."

Trail hunting was recently described by Chief Supt Matt Longman, the most senior police officer in England with responsibility for fox hunting crime, as a "smokescreen for illegal fox hunting".

The campaign is backed by the Time for Change Coalition Against Hunting representing 34 organisations.

Despite a fox hunting ban coming into force in 2005, the League Against Cruel Sports compiles reports showing hundreds of eyewitness sightings of suspected illegal fox hunting every year – some of which take place on our national parks.

John Petrie added: "We need fox hunting laws to be strengthened by the next government so that fox hunts can no longer chase and kill animals, something sadly going on despite the fox hunting ban.

"In the meantime, national parks and landowners need to deny the hunts access to their land so that the cruel and senseless killing of foxes is ended once and for all."

A spokesperson for the charity also told Nub News: "We're calling on all landowners in Paek District National Park to stop or end trail hunting on their land and for the Peak District National Park Authority to set an example."

While no Macclesfield - or indeed Cheshire - examples has been highlighted in recent times, an incident in Derbyshire can be read about HERE.

The Peak District National Park Authority has been contacted for comment.

A spokesperson for the Peak District National Park Authority said: "Decisions on what takes place on land owned and managed by the National Park Authority is based on what is lawful under relevant legislation set by the government. This currently includes trail hunting. To that end, we do not discriminate or consider it our role to otherwise ban an activity which is lawful. We are not a hunting regulator and have no specific role to provide expertise in this area.

"Our statutory role, in this instance, is limited to the land that is owned by the Authority and our powers therefore do not extend to other land within the National Park, for example that within private ownership.

"There are currently no approved applications for trail hunting on land owned by the Authority. Such activities may also be refused on Authority-owned land on the grounds of potential damage to sensitive habitats.

"It is important, therefore, that if anybody witnesses any activity that they believe to be illegal, they report it to the police.

"We have not received any evidence of illegal activity on Authority-owned land. We take any reports of unlicensed trail hunting on land that we manage very seriously and where we are made aware we will seek urgent clarification from the relevant groups."

2024 marks 20 years since it was made a criminal offence to hunt down and kill a wild mammal with dogs.