Hunt supporters condemned the Hunting Act yesterday as hundreds of thousands of people attended Boxing Day meets across the country.

More than 300,000 people, including increasing numbers of women and children, turned out to 314 UK hunts, with the Countryside Alliance reporting record crowds at many events.

The success of the hunts, on what is traditionally the busiest day in the hunting calendar, led to renewed calls for a repeal of the three-year-old ban on the blood sport.

Sam Butler, Master of the Warwickshire Hunt, which met at Upton House, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, said: "We have got a good crowd of over a thousand people here and there is a real feeling of optimism.

"This Government is never going to admit that the Hunting Act has failed, but everyone knows it has. I am sure that it can't last for much longer."

Some of the biggest crowds of the day were seen at the Avon Vale Hunt, where nearly 6,000 people met at Lacock, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, and at the Heythrop Hunt, in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, where 5,000 people turned out.

Among those taking part in events was huntsman Tony Wright, 53, who won an appeal last month against his conviction for hunting a wild animal with dogs.

He was the first huntsman to be convicted of breaching the Hunting Act after the League Against Cruel Sports brought a private prosecution against him.

The 2004 Act made hunting with dogs a criminal offence, although exercising hounds, chasing a scent trail and flushing out foxes to be shot are all still legal.

Speaking as he joined 400 people and 50 riders for the Exmoor Foxhounds hunt, at Kentisbury, in Devon, Mr Wright said: "Our best Christmas present came early this year when the courts threw out my conviction and accepted that we had been hunting legally. We are looking forward now and hopefully it won't be too long before all the confusion and stupidity of the Hunting Act is removed."

Female hunt master, Polly Portwin, joined 2,300 people and 170 riders at the Bicester Hunt, which met at Winslow, in Buckinghamshire.

She said: "It's great to see such a lot of support from the countryside, but also from the towns. I think most people have a live-and-let-live attitude and they don't like pointless and prejudiced laws like the Hunting Act."

Other hunt supporters were also optimistic that the Hunting Act would soon be repealed.

Simon Hart, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, was with the South Pembrokeshire Hunt and 1,000 supporters at the Cresselly Arms, in Creswell Quay, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

He said: "It's strange to say, but the mood is as optimistic as at any time in the last 10 years. Hunting has taken the worst that could be thrown at it and survived. It is hard work at the moment, and the law puts innocent people at risk of prosecution, but there is an absolute determination in the hunting community to see the Hunting Act repealed.

"With an opposition commitment for a Bill to repeal the ban and growing support from MPs and candidates of all parties there is every reason to believe that the Act is on borrowed time."

Jill Grieve, spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance, said the huge numbers attending yesterday's hunts showed "unity and determination" to continue the pastime and repeal the Act.

"We're here to stay and we will get the Hunting Act repealed and we will carry on," she said.

"Numbers have been consistently good since the ban came into force a couple of years ago.

"A lot of people didn't know or care about hunting before but since the Hunting Act has been in the news a lot of people have thought they will go along and see what the fuss is about."

She added: "We are getting kids in because they are the next generation and we want hunting to go on for the next generation.

"There are also a couple of lady masters. It's not a male preserve in any shape or form."

Anti-hunt campaign group the League Against Cruel Sports said it did not object to the Boxing Day hunts if they stayed within the law.

Barry Hugill, a spokesman for the group, said: "We will have no qualms about bringing prosecutions against anyone caught breaking the law. This year we're fairly certain there will be a lot more convictions."