DOZENS of riders turned out for traditional New Year’s Day hunts across North Yorkshire.

However, the frosty ground and icy conditions meant numbers were significantly lower than in previous years.

Joanna Newitt, secretary of the Middleton Hunt, said they had to change the hunt’s venue from Hunmanby to Scackleton, near Hovingham, due to the conditions.

She said: “About 20 riders did meet, but the weather conditions are still quite threatening, as there was quite a hard frost and still a lot of ice, so there weren’t as many as usual.”

In Helmsley, a crowd of about 100 people gathered in the market place to enjoy the spectacle of about 12 horses gathering for the Sinnington Hunt.

However, due to the hard ground, the riders then returned their horses to the stables before continuing on foot to Duncombe Park to exercise the hounds.

Meanwhile, about a dozen riders met for the Derwent Hunt outside The Hall Inn in Thornton-le-Dale, where landlord Glen Barker brought out drinks for them.

He said: “It wasn’t a very big turn-out because of the weather. You can’t chance the horses breaking a leg.”