WESTMINSTER is a magnet for protesters. Anyone with a gripe or who wants a law changed or introduced trudges down to London in the hope it will make a difference.

It is easy to understand why they make the journey, given the Houses of Parliament are supposed to be the "seat of democracy".

But there are so many demonstrations that the people whose attention they are trying to grab barely take notice. That is not to devalue their efforts. It is just that - rather than being shocked - MPs and journalists have become desensitised to people clutching banners and chanting slogans in Parliament Square.

This week was different, however, as protesters reached out for the oxygen of publicity.

The banners went and in their place came horses, runaway dogs and - quite bizarrely - more than 20 ice- cream men equipped with their vans.

The dogs and horses were the work of fed-up hunt supporters. They have been camping in Parliament for around two weeks now as part of a "round the clock vigil" against proposals to ban hunting with dogs in almost all parts of the country, including North Yorkshire.

The protesters, who are taking it in turns to sit under an umbrella beside the statue of Winston Churchill, had been attracting no more than a passing glance.

So, on Wednesday, the Union of Country Sports Workers upped the ante - filling first Smith Square and then Parliament Square with about 30 horses and two packs of dogs.

The police were forced to close the roads around Parliament amid chaotic scenes normally confined to the countryside.

The dogs posed the police a particular headache as they had no idea how to control them, with two going missing for a short time.

"We wanted to show the Government we are ordinary working folk, with nothing to hide, working for a basic agricultural wage - but doing a job we love," said a spokesman for the group.

They appear to have got something of a result, too. Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael, the man charged with finding a solution to the Government's hunting headache, has agreed to meet the UCSW in June.

But even they were outdone by the ice cream men, who produced the noisiest lobby I have ever heard. Parking around 30 ice-cream vans outside the gates which lead to Downing Street was impressive enough as a visual spectacle. Then they flicked the switch that produces the ice-cream man's trademark jingle.

Normally, it is a pleasant noise summoning children from indoors - but it takes on a different characteristic all together when amplified 30 times.

It sounded like hell.

Traffic ground to a halt and tourists gathered round to see what was making such a terrible din.

Then, in a stroke of genius, the ice cream men started giving them all free lollipops.

Journalists, school children and police dashed over and - with each Cherry Brandy lolly - a political message was dispensed.

The police should not be allowed the power to confiscate their vans if they are found on unlicensed pitches.

I didn't even know such a move was under consideration and would probably never have found out if they had just turned up with a banner.

But I do now, along with the Prime Minister and a few hundred MPs whose ears were left ringing by all the din.

And all for the cost of a few ice lollies.

- Parliament is now in recess until June 10. James Slack returns on Friday, June 14

Updated: 11:14 Friday, May 24, 2002