AN endless stream of beagles leapt out of the back of the van and put their noses to the muddy grass, trying to catch the scent of hare.

Nearby, a group of men and women chattered with excitement, while the hostess took round a tray bearing glasses of mulled wine.

It was a cold, damp day at Embleton Old Hall, near Trimdon, County Durham, with a biting wind, but the wine was fuelling the anticipation among members of the Weardale and Tees Valley Beagle hunt.

Saturday was the first time in almost a year that the hunt has been out - the first time since foot-and-mouth disease brought country life grinding to a halt, last February.

Since then, the beagle hounds, trained by huntsman Steve Batchelor, have been confined to four acres of land surrounding their kennels.

It has been 11 months and four days since the hounds were last out and Mr Batchelor, who is employed by the hunt, has counted the days.

Foot-and-mouth could have posed a threat to the hounds, and to Mr Batchelor's livelihood, but a scheme was set up where members of the hunt could "sponsor" a hound, paying a small monthly fee to pay for dog food.

The hunt's area stretches from County Durham to Longtown, in Cumbria, one of the worst-affected foot-and-mouth areas. It is one of the last groups in the country to begin hunting again.

Hunt secretary Paul Kunzer said: "You can tell the hounds are excited to be out again. They haven't had much exercise in the past year.

"We haven't had much exercise either and, like a lot of ramblers I am sure, we are all rather unfit."