HAVING lost its latest legal bid to overturn the ban on hunting, the Countryside Alliance has vowed to take its case to the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights.

But, as it stands, hunting with dogs in England and Wales becomes illegal tomorrow.

Whether people are fervently in favour of the ban or passionately opposed to it, the law has been established through the correct judicial processes, and therefore it has to be respected and enforced.

Hunt supporters throughout our region have pledged to "test" the ban at the weekend, pushing the law as far as possible.

But the evidence of the final gathering for the Waterloo Cup hare-coursing event this week is that it is highly likely, if not inevitable, that the law will be more than just tested - it will be broken.

We hope that is not the case because unless the laws of the land are obeyed, the fabric of society falls apart, and the law on hunting should be no different to any other law.

The Countryside Alliance should pursue its fight through the correct channels. That is entirely right and proper.

But breaking the law cannot be condoned.

Just do it, Ken

THERE are times in all our lives when we know it is right to say sorry.

No matter how strongly Ken Livingstone may feel about the Jewish reporter he likened to a Nazi concentration camp guard, he must know in his heart it was a serious and ridiculous mistake.

The longer the stand-off continues, the harder it will be to say that little five-letter word. He should just get it over and done with.