Douglas Batchelor, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, has issued a direct challenge to fox hunters who claim hunting is more popular than ever.

On Boxing day every year since the ban on hunting came into force in February 2005 the Countryside Alliance routinely claims that hunting is attracting more support than in the years leading up to the historic ban.

The League has laid down the gauntlet to hunters and is challenging their claims. Mr Batchelor said: 'If hunts are hunting legally, as they claim to be, and attracting record support, why on earth do they want a repeal of the Hunting Act and why are they so reluctant to be monitored?'

'Either the hunters are lying when they say they obey the law or their leaders are unable to come to terms with the fact they are not allowed to abuse and kill an animal. Which one is it?'

The League will be monitoring hunts up and down the country over the Christmas period with its team of professional and volunteer monitors.

A landowner was convicted yesterday of hare coursing. Mary Birkbeck, 77, was found guilty of allowing land on her estate in Little Massingham, Norfolk, to be used for the blood sport which is banned under The Hunting Act.

Organiser Les Anderson, 80, of Feltwell, Norfolk, was also convicted following a trial at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court, both were given two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £1,000 costs. They were found to have attended and organised two events in November 2007 and January this year.

Hunting campaigner Matt Fox said: 'This case has shown that landowners can and will be prosecuted for allowing illegal hunting on their land. Monitors from the League working in tandem with colleagues from IFAW and the RSPCA are to be congratulated for a job well done. We must all now look to the police in England and Wales to play a more proactive role in the enforcement of the Hunting Act.'

Find out more on Hare Coursing .

Heineken owned brewer Central Cervejas has sponsored bullfighting events in the Lisbon bullring Campo Pequeno throughout the 2008 season.

It accepts bullfighting promotion as "part of the company's business" and has the logo of its local brand displayed on bullfighting posters and on banners in the bullring. In a letter to the League Heineken UK managing director, Jeremy Blood, confirmed that "Central Cervejas brands are advertised and available" in the Campo.

Visit our take action page for a quick and easy way to ask Heineken to stop supporting bullfighting

The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has released a report on the welfare of farmed gamebirds. The report highlights the cruelty involved in the intensive rearing conditions prevalent in the shooting industry and raises concerns over many of the techniques used such as beak trimming and wing clipping. The report states that 'intensive breeding and rearing of these semi-wild species in confinement have the potential to compromise bird welfare'. It also calls into question the ethics of importing large quantities of birds from abroad to meet the demand from shoots.

Katy Roberts League shooting campaigner said 'The shooting industry would like to have it both ways, keeping their unregulated, battery rearing techniques but at the same time selling game meat as a free range and ethical food. This report uncovers many of the stark truths behind the systematic  breeding of birds to be used as live targets for sport.'

Find out more on the League's shooting campaign