Animal rights activists suffered a defeat after a bid to ban trail hunting in Britain failed.
The had wanted to end the practice where hounds and horse riders chase the bottled scent of foxes.
But they lost a vote to the end the practice which was introduced on National Trust land after fox hunting was banned in 2004.
The proposal to stop the National Trust – a registered UK charity – licensing the hunts was voted down at its AGM.
Some, 30,686 members voted for the ban and 30,985 voted against it.
Polly Portwin, of the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance, said she was “delighted” by the result.
Last year, the National Trust issued 79 licences to 67 hunts for use of its land for trail hunting.
Trail hunts came to prominence after the introduction of the hunting ban.
They try to resemble pre-ban hunting as much as possible, while not chasing and killing a fox.
But animal rights groups believe that many involve the “accidental” pursuit and killing of a live quarry, including foxes.
The League Against Cruel Sports, which organised a protest outside the AGM, warned: “This isn’t over.”
Helen Beynon, who tabled the motion after witnessing a trail hunt, criticised the trust for advising members to vote against the ban.
She said: “They have led people to believe that there is no problem. But there is a problem – hunts will now be able to continue their barbaric hobby on land meant to be protected for people and animals. It’s disgraceful, and the trust should be ashamed.”
