Anti bloodsport campaigners have organised protests outside National Trust properties next weekend, claiming that hunts still illegally kill British wildlife on its lands.

The national protests are being arranged by campaigning group National Dis-Trust, backed by the League Against Cruel Sports, and are taking place on Sunday, February 25.

One of these protests is planned to take place outside Polesden Lacey, in nearby Dorking.

Groups monitoring hunt activity on National Trust land claim ‘trail’ hunting (chasing a volunteer or a trail of artificial scents) is a fraudulent cover for illegal hunting activity and killing of foxes, hare and deer by packs of hounds.

A spokesperson for National Dis-Trust, said: “National Dis-Trust are working with many wildlife and animal protection groups around the UK to highlight the National Trust's endorsement of illegal fox hunting.

"The hunts they license, like the Warwickshire and the Beaufort, are regularly filmed pursuing and killing foxes. On top of this, many hunts have been observed trespassing on Trust land, which would not happen if they were following a ‘trail’.

“We're calling on a compassionate public to support us in our call for the National Trust to end their complicity in bloodsports.”

Despite hunting being banned in England and Wales in 2004, campaigners are concerned that thousands of animals are still being targeted and killed every year by hunts.

A National Trust spokeswoman said: “We have been carefully listening to both sides of a highly polarised and passionate debate around trail-hunting for years.

"People have the legal right to organise demonstrations and express their views. We accept these protests on our land, provided they are respectful and do not interfere with conservation or access for our visitors.

“To be clear, we don't allow illegal hunting on our land, and if there is clear evidence of illegal activity, then this should be reported to the police.

"Parliament’s Hunting Act allowed trail hunts to continue, where artificial scents, not foxes, are chased on set courses.

"Our aim is to allow the best possible version of this legal activity – one that avoids damaging the conservation that we look after, that can co-exist with everyone who visits our places, and one that operates within the law.”