SCHOOLCHILDREN marched alongside gamekeepers, rural shopkeepers stood with farmers, as countryside campaigners from across the UK and beyond descended upon the nation's capital.

As thousands of people - including some from Ireland, the USA and Italy - waited patiently to take part in Sunday's Countryside Alliance Liberty and Livelihood March there was a carnival atmosphere.

But behind the smiling faces the marchers were in defiant mood, as they called on Tony Blair and his Government to listen to them.

"We are absolutely fed up with the way we have been treated," said East Yorkshire farmer Ian Mason.

Mr Mason had travelled to the capital with wife Sue and their four children.

The couple, who farm near Sledmere, all ride and support their local hunt, the Middleton.

Mr Mason said: "We are working for nothing, facing so many rules and regulations, and it's just getting everyone down.

"This march is a chance to show how strong the feeling is - the countryside can look after itself."

Self-employed Ken Brown, from Pickering, was on the march with wife Christine and their 13-year-old daughter, Hayley. He has been on every Countryside Alliance organised march, and proudly wore a coat covered with badges showing his support for them.

But Mr Brown, who runs Malton Road Engineering, said he was also protesting about the way in which rural communities are being treated.

"When I started work 30 years ago all my work was to do with farming. Now we might only do 20pc because the farmers do not have the money to develop their business."

Andrew Osborne, joint master of the Sinnington Hunt, said the number of people at the march showed the strength of feeling running through the rural communities that the countryside was in crisis.

"The mood on the train was angry and defiant, you can't beat the power of the people," he said. "Country people refuse to be bullied by the urban majority. If Blair does not listen to this protest then he will have to listen to us being not so civilised."

Tory Euro-MP for Yorkshire and the Humber Robert Goodwill said: "What was amazing was the tremendous feeling of solidarity. People in the country work together - if you scratch one of us, then we will all bleed."

Ryedale Tory MP John Greenway marched along the route marked out for demonstrators from the north and east - one of the two liberty and livelihood routes which had been planned.

He said: "As soon as the 200,000 number went up on the screen at the end of the march there was a huge cheer.

"I think the mood was very bright, very positive.

"The people who are here are young and old, rich and poor, town and

country - all walks of life.

"You can tell that the people have turned out to make their protest heard.

"I think this will give Blair quite a shock because of the scale, it has been phenomenal. People have made their point and I think it has been worth it."

Updated: 09:16 Wednesday, September 25, 2002