A traditional Boxing Day hunt meet with riders and hounds will not be held in Bicester or on a farm in the area this year.

Owing to a change in manpower, the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase will only hold a Boxing Day meet in Winslow, more than 10 miles away.

Boxing Day meets have been held in Bicester and Winslow ever since the then Bicester and Warden Hill Hunt and the Whaddon Chase Hunt were amalgamated in 1985.

The meets were a Boxing Day tradition in Bicester Market Square until 2001.

The hunt then decided to meet at Billy Evans's Field Farm, in Launton, to avoid paying a £1,000 bill from Thames Valley Police and Cherwell District Council, owners of Market Square.

Now the hunt has decided to meet only in Winslow, on the town's showground, rather than Market Square.

Hunt secretary Robert Vallance said: "In previous years we have split the horses and hounds between the two meets. But since Ian McKie, hunt Master and amateur huntsman, and his wife Tocky have moved to Northumberland, the pack is now hunted full-time by a professional huntsman -- Patrick Martin. So we're unable to be in both places."

The Government's proposed ban on hunting with hounds was not included in the Queen's Speech at the opening of the Parliamentary session last month.

Anti-hunt campaigner Penny Little,regional spokesman for Protect our Wild Animals, said: "The hunt's move is because of the protests."