Police estimated more than 1,500 supporters braved the cold to see the Avon Vale Hunt gather in Lacock on Monday.

Joint master Jonathon Seed, who was laid low by a heavy cold the day after the meet, said: “We had about 30 horses take part, which is well down on the normal number.

“I can understand that people would not have wanted to risk their horses in that weather.

“But we decided to go ahead and it went well. There was a couple of inches of snow on the ground, which was very hard.

“But we managed the jumps without mishap and everyone who took part enjoyed it enormously.”

The hunt’s Siberian eagle owl, Olga, was also present.