HUNTS in North Yorkshire vowed to fight on today as Britain moved a step closer to a ban on hunting with dogs.

The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly last night to outlaw the pursuit, with North Yorkshire's MPs split along party lines.

Backing a ban were the Labour MPs for York, Selby and Scarborough and Whitby, Hugh Bayley, John Grogan and Lawrie Quinn respectively, along with Harrogate and Knaresborough's Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis.

Against a ban were the Tory MPs for Ryedale, Vale of York and Richmond, John Greenway, Anne McIntosh and William Hague.

Today the debate was moving to the House of Lords, with the upper chamber under increasing pressure to give ground by backing licensed hunts, the so-called "Middle Way" option.

Pro-hunting peer Lord Mancroft said he would be backing the Middle Way as the best way of preserving hunting.

"I'm certain that the Lords will vote very firmly against a ban and I hope that they can be persuaded to think about the Middle Way and maybe to support the Middle Way, because both sides have become ridiculously entrenched," he said.

But Lord Cranborne said no compromise was possible with anti-hunt campaigners.

"It is always attractive to go for a compromise, but the truth of the matter is the antis are not going to rest if the Prime Minister goes for the Middle Way," he said.

"If the House of Commons are absolutely determined to do this foolish thing, then what the Prime Minister says will not make a ha'p'orth of difference."

Hunting enthusiasts in North Yorkshire were angry today about the Government's handling of the issue, even suggesting that it was being used to deflect attention from news about British marines being sent into Afghanistan.

Jeremy Timm, joint master of the York and Ainsty Hunt, said the Government would have a fight on its hands if it attempted to introduce a ban.

"Country people are not used to protesting or campaigning for their rights, but on this they will take a stand," he said.

"This was not a real vote and I think we will get a lot of support in the Lords. If it does go to a real vote we will fight.

"A ban will lead to many job losses and after foot and mouth last year country people are not prepared to take it."

He said that he was disgusted and angry with the way the Government was handling the issue.

"It wouldn't surprise me if the Government had introduced the issue now to deflect public attention away from Geoff Hoon's announcement that British marines are going into Afghanistan," he said.

Sarah Morley, joint master of the Derwent Hunt, said the hunting community was now facing a period of uncertainty.

"It was no surprise the Commons voted for a ban, but the rejection of the Middle Way is worrying," she said.

"We will get a lot of support from the Lords, but ultimately we don't know what will happen."

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy were among those voting for an outright ban last night, with Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith voting against.

Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael is expected to make a statement to the Commons on Thursday on how the Government will proceed.

The Middle Way option has been attacked by North Yorkshire's Labour MPs as nothing more than "licensed cruelty."

Hugh Bayley said: "There is no middle way on hunting. You're either for it or against it and I don't see killing animals as a sport."

Updated: 12:14 Tuesday, March 19, 2002