Scores of hunters, horses and hounds paraded through Bakewell's streets with the support of many onlookers, after the ban came into force on Thursday.

The hunt's field secretary Janine Noon said the outing was mainly to exercise the dogs and no animals were killed.

She added: "We were very pleased. We had a good turn out of people at the meet and then of course as we came back through the streets there was a brilliant response."

But she added that hunting would no longer be the same: "Legally it won't be anything like the hunting we were used to.

"There is not an art in working the hounds on a drag. They just pick up the scent and go. We can not do anything else then until they have laid down another scent."

The meet was also welcomed by Paul Timpson from the North West Hunt Saboteurs Association because no animals were killed.

He added: "We hope every hunt in the country will go to drag hunting. Why have they got to kill hares? What damage do hares do?

"The brown hare is on the endangered species list."

High Peak MP Tom Levitt said the new law allowed two dogs to flush out a hare for a hunter to shoot the animal.

"I am sure every member of the Bakewell hunt is a law abiding citizen who will not want to risk being arrested for wilful or negligent carelessness," he added.