A UNIQUE Hampshire hunt has been celebrating its tenth anniversary.

The South Downs Bloodhounds were founded in 2004 when senior master Jeremy Whaley moved the pack down from Scotland to kennels in Privett, near Alresford.

They celebrated the milestone with dinner at the Swan Hotel in Alresford last Friday (October 10).

The event also marked the start of the new hunting season with membership up by half on last year.

The bloodhounds do not hunt animals but instead track human quarry on farmland across the county.

The hounds, who use their legendary sense of smell, are followed by a mounted field of up to 70 riders as well as by followers on foot and in car.

They hunt throughout Hampshire and adjoining counties and have been a popular attraction at the Hampshire Country Fair, the New Forest Show and the Alresford Show.

They have recently appeared in a music video for local band Burning Glass and even featured prominently in last Christmas’s episode of Made in Chelsea.

Southampton school leaver Jack Jennings has joined the team as ‘whipper-in’ and will help Mr Whaley handle the hounds out hunting as well as exercise dogs and horses between meets.

Local riders Emma Whale and Marion Allaway have joined the Mastership and will guide the mounted field on hunting days and assist in managing the Hunt.

Further information about the Bloodhounds can be found on southdownsbloodhounds.com or their Facebook page.