A HUNT supporter is threatening to ride naked through Tony Blair's home village during a mass protest against Government proposals to outlaw foxhunting.

More than 1,000 supporters and 300 horses from hunts around the region are expected to take part in the show of strength in Trimdon Village, County Durham, on Saturday, November 1.

Mark Shotton, master of the South Durham Hunt based in the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency, said the identity of the potential Lady Godiva was being kept under wraps.

He said: "We've got a hunting lady who is prepared to come down and bare all to show her support of hunting.

"She's willing to ride naked through the village."

The rally, organised by the Countryside Alliance, coincides with South Durham Hunt's first meeting of the season.

Alliance regional director Richard Dodd said the hunters were prepared to sign a declaration that they would defy any ban imposed by the Government.

He said: "It will be a message to the Government that they are not going to put up with badly drawn-up laws to ban hunting on the back of prejudice, and they are prepared to go all the way."

Mr Shotton said any ban on hunting would simply encourage the mass slaughter of foxes with guns, the population of which would still have to be controlled.

He said the hunt has been chasing a fox which they have christened Tony Blair for the past three years, but it has succeeded in evading capture by crossing rivers and hopping over walls.

He said: "If the ban came in three years ago, that fox would not be here today. It's also got offspring running about that wouldn't be here either."