"He hinted that regulation was the way forward," Hughes said, adding that Hain had not allowed the conversation with protestors to be recorded in writing or on tape.

Lawmakers voted for an end to the 300-year-old countryside pursuit of fox hunting earlier this month, even as some 10,000 people opposed to the ban protested outside parliament.

A licensing system, allowing hunts but requiring them to be regulated and subject to checks, would infuriate those wanting an outright ban.

Hughes said the demonstration involving more than 200 pro-hunting protesters began around 6:00 a.m. (0500 GMT) and mainly involved hunting groups from south Wales.

Fox hunting is denounced as a barbaric blood sport by its opponents but defended as an essential part of Britain's rural heritage by its supporters, who say a ban would infringe their civil rights and abolish a valid way of controlling foxes.

In Scotland, where hunting with dogs is already banned, the practise still continues by exploiting loopholes in the law. Dogs can still be kept and foxes can still be hunted, but they must be killed by being shot.